Big Hearts in a Small Town

I was raised in a small town in Northwest Washington. San Juan Island has a population of about 6000 people and located in North Puget Sound. Located on this island is an amazing group of volunteer firefighters. As a high school student I was trained in wildland firefighting. I worked with some of the best people that I have ever met I learned to love them as if they were family. It is not every job that you get to work side by side with some of your best friends. 

I have never been called out on any large wild land call, San Juan Island is only 14 miles long and 7 miles long, but we did stay busy with small brush fires, out of control bonfires, beach fires, ect. Working with San Juan Fire District 3 I learned a lot about myself, I have huge respect for anyone who makes firefighting a living and I am honored to call some of those very fine men and woman friends that I know I will have for life. 

One call that really stood out above the rest was on a Sunday morning, it really stood out to me because it was an older couple still dressed from church. A bonfire had grown out of control and was spreading towards there house. The husband who must have been at least 75 was out in his back yard with the garden hose when we got there. It was a easy containment and we had it under control in less then 20 minutes, it would have been a very average call but I have never experience such gratitude form a stranger. For months after once a week the sweet old lady brought homemade cookies to the firehouse. Although this is partly a small town way of of life it is also shows that sometimes it is the little things that you can do in your life that will leave others forever grateful.