Firefighters at Tigerville Fire Department work hard to serve the community
Posted by The Skyliner on April 8th, 2009Leasy Sandal
Staff Writer
The Tigerville Fire Department has been servicing the area for years. Firefighters sacrifice their personal time to serve. (Photo by Daniel Jamison/ The Skyliner)
As I walk into the Tigerville Fire Department, I am instantly greeted by a friendly, young dog named Jake. Volunteer firefighters smile and lead me to the office of Russell Ledford, chief of the department. The atmosphere of the station is calm and relaxed.
These men deserve a relaxing, sunny afternoon. They consistently dedicate their lives to saving the lives of complete strangers. In many ways, I imagine it is similar to walking into the home of a superhero.
Ledford has been a firefighter since he graduated high school. He has been a member of Tigerville for 16 years and accepted the position of chief August 14, 2008.
“I already knew the district and the community,” Ledford said. “I wanted to begin right away.”
Tigerville Fire Department is responsible for a 25 mile radius,which includes North Greenville University and Tigerville Elementary School. Ledford is responsible for any wrecks, fires, community calls, etc. within the area.
The bridge in north Tigerville was not stable enough to hold the weight of the fire trucks. Ledford went through many channels to have the bridge repaired so the department’s travel time could be shortened.
“Fixing that bridge cuts our response time by ten minutes,” Ledford said. “Whether the publicity was good, bad or different, the bridge is being fixed, and that’s what’s important.”
Tigerville Fire Department’s main goal is to educate the community in fire prevention. Just recently, Ledford and other firefighters went to the elementary school to hand out smoke detectors to the faculty and students.
“Do you have a fire alarm in your home? Does it work? Even if people just put batteries in it and set it on their kitchen table, that’s better than not having one at all,” Ledford said. “I wish I could go to everyone’s house and install smoke detectors myself.”
The Department handles all of the University’s safety codes as well. Ledford ensures that all dormitory sprinklers have been installed correctly, all fire doors are secured and that all audible alarms and strobe lights are working.
“Dr. Tony Beam and I are in process to set up a schedule and security will be able to guide me through the buildings to ensure safety,” Ledford said. “In my opinion, the relationship between the University and the Department is outstanding. The Department does what it can to help the University, and vice versa.”
Currently, there are four University students that volunteer at the Department.
“I am very much appreciative of the student volunteers’ coming to the community, getting an education and giving back to the community,” Ledford said. “They are dedicated. It is my responsibility to make sure they go home as it’s their responsibility to make sure I go home. There is no room for error.”
Cameron Marler, sophomore, and Gordon Methvin, junior, just earned their interior firefighter certification. This is no simple task. The course is over 90 hours and it is more than just book work. The students are placed in replicas of real situations, fires and dangers to demonstrate their competency.
“I became a firefighter when I was 13 because it is a lifelong dream that has never left me,” Marler said. “I started as a Junior Firefighter and learned the basics of firefighting.”
Being a volunteer firefighter has helped Marler to have a better understanding of the fragility of life. His experience has made him more conscientious of the decisions he makes for his own life.
“I love the adrenaline rush of actually fighting fire and trying to put out fires as quick as possible,” Marler said. “I love being able to drive a fire truck down the road with the lights on and the siren blaring and watching the other traffic move out of the way. There is no other feeling like it.”
Daniel Hanson, senior, has been with the Department since 2006. He had originally planned to join the Army after graduation, but took interest in the Department instead. Two days after interviewing with Ledford he was accepted and put on roster to be a volunteer firefighter.
“The thing I love most about being a member of Tigerville F.D. is knowing that my time there has made a difference in the lives of people that live in this community,” Hanson said. “Whether it be rescuing someone from a terrible car accident or teaching fire safety to a group of school children, I know that I have impacted people’s lives in a positive way.”
Hanson admits that being a firefighter interrupts his time with friends and family. When faced with an emergency, the firefighters must be prepared. The firefighters often have to cancel plans or previous engagements to serve the community.
“Working at a fire department is in many ways the same as working anywhere else. We have a chain of command, daily duties and everyone reports to someone above them. However, it’s also a very exciting and different type of job,” Hanson said. “We’re given the opportunity to save lives and protect people on a daily basis. The members of Tigerville are in many ways like a large family. We care for one another in a special way and take care of each other, much like a brotherhood.”
The firefighters at Tigerville Fire Department understand the value of life. One mistake could result in a devastating disaster, yet these men sacrifice themselves on a daily basis to rescue those who need help. Exactly the stuff superheroes are made of.