Courage. Commitment. Community.

“It’s a culture; it’s a lifestyle.”

Being a first responder means running towards the chaos while others are inclined to take a step back. It means working long shifts and spending time away from friends and family in hopes of making their community a safer place.

It takes a special person to choose to walk into a burning building. But that is the job these community members have signed up for; that is the job of a firefighter.

For Fire Captain Brandon Wagers, who has been with the London Fire Department for 21 years now, his love of his community and eagerness to help others began with the London-Laurel Rescue Squad where Brandon began volunteering at 17 years old.

“My passion for helping people, which began in my youth, led me to become a firefighter in my hometown, allowing me to support and protect the community I care deeply about,” he said.

As soon as Brandon turned 18, he joined the London Fire Department as a volunteer and once he realized he had an opportunity to make a career out of his passion for helping others, he took it.

“I always wanted to be involved in my community and always wanted to help my community, so when I saw I could have a career doing this in my hometown, I was so excited and wanted to get involved,” Brandon said. “I love helping the community.”

Like so many others involved in emergency services, Brandon’s work in the community doesn’t end when he clocks out at the fire department, as Brandon continues to serve his community as captain at the London-Laurel Rescue Squad, as well.

In August, the London Fire Department named its newest fire chief, Donnie Hale, whose career in fire services spans over 30 years. Donnie’s career began as a volunteer firefighter, and he has since advanced through numerous roles within the department.

Donnie said he plans to serve the citizens of London in a professional manner, with a list of goals to help with the department’s continued growth, including hiring more personnel and purchasing a new fire truck.

“We want to serve the city and the citizens of London to the best of our ability,” he said. “We train every day to make all of this possible.

"We as a city work together as one. When I say that, it is the mayor's office, the police department, the city garage and recycling center, along with the City Fire Department. We all work together and become stronger as a group."

The London Fire Department has been a vital part of our community since its formation in 1922. Currently, the department has 17 full-time career firefighters. These firefighters work 48-hour shifts, as well as some who work part-time at the department and some who volunteer.

The London Fire Department covers the entire city limits, responding to a wide range of emergency calls including fire alarms, house fires, gas leaks, medical emergencies and more.

“On average, we handle numerous calls daily and weekly, reflecting the diverse nature of emergency situations we encounter,” Brandon said.

Being a firefighter also means rigorous, ongoing training, including daily or weekly in-service training sessions and various mock fire drills to ensure that the firefighters know exactly what to do in an emergency.

“This continual education is crucial for maintaining the high standards required in our profession,” Brandon said.

When the department responds to a call, each firefighter on the scene is assigned to a specific task to ensure that the scene is managed as efficiently and as safely as possible. Brandon said that this approach helps the firefighters to address all aspects of the emergency effectively, while maintaining the safety of both the first responders and those who are being affected.

There is also a lot of behind-the-scenes work that the London Fire Department does, things that the public likely isn’t even aware of, including documentation of all emergency responses, planning and other trainings.

The department is also heavily involved in various community initiatives, including providing educational classes to the community such as CPR classes, “Stop the Bleed” classes, first aid, car seat installation, and other educational classes. Brandon said the London Fire Department also partners with the American Red Cross to offer a smoke detector program, ensuring that residents have working smoke detectors in their homes, as well as being involved in programs like the Backpack Program of Laurel County and participating in other local school events.

One thing the department enjoys providing to the community every summer is their “Beat the Heat” campaign, which aims to provide support and resources to vulnerable populations during extreme heat events. The department travels to various places throughout the community, allowing community members an opportunity to cool off in a water spray system provided by the department, while also providing CPR education to those in attendance.

“Our safety and fire education programs in local schools and the community further contribute to fire prevention and safety awareness,” Brandon said, adding that a Safe Haven Baby Box was also installed at the department in December, a collaborative effort of community members and city officials to provide a safe place for babies to be discreetly surrendered at the firehouse.

Brandon said that there are many ways for community members to support the city or even your local community fire department by participating in the educational opportunities provided by the department to learn more about safety protocols. Another way to help make a firefighter’s job easier is by becoming more aware of your surroundings, whether that be watching for emergency vehicles while on the road or even just closing your bedroom door at bedtime, because research shows that a closed door can mean the difference between 1,000 degrees and 100 degrees in the event of a fire.

Perhaps one of the biggest ways community members can help the fire department, though, is by lending a helping hand.

“If they are interested, get involved,” Brandon said. “The biggest thing you can do is offer your help. Sometimes we don’t have enough personnel in emergency situations, and really, safety is in numbers.”

It truly takes a special person with a heart for helping others to do the job of a firefighter. The next time you see one of our local firefighters, let them know how thankful we are for their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe.