TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | SEPT 2019 37
situation that could arise. Training is continual and all members of their
staff, including the (vital) volunteers, are prepared to drop whatever it is
that they are doing to respond to any given situation. When not rushing to a
scene or studying current practices, their attention can be found focusing on
the diligent upkeep of every piece of equipment. Despite the never ending
preparation, the department still manages to always have someone out
patrolling the streets and the beach. You can rest assured that there are
always professionals on duty and who are prepared for anything.
Sitting down with a few of the volunteers and a couple of the full timers,
I asked the hard-hitting questions that we all want to know: When is your
calendar coming out? Ha! Just kidding, kind of. I make light here of serious
people providing a serious service, but they put their lives in danger for the
greater good. These people are trained thoroughly, but in a second, dangerous
situations can and do come up and it all comes back to preparedness and
training to get one out of a gnarly situation. With that in mind, when I asked
the group why they do what they do, everyone without fail said that they
want to help people and give back to their community. To be able to assist
their neighbors in some of the worst crises of their lives is a feeling that
keeps them going and motivated.
The volunteers, I think, have the hardest part of this job. Every single one
them has a full-time job, families and lives. They do not get paid by the hour
to wait or show up. However, when their beepers go off, there is no sound
on earth quite like it and that sound alone gets people motivated to drop it,
wake it and move it no matter what is going on in their personal time at that
given moment. A few of these people are second and third generational fire
fighters and that is a fierce pride!
As usual, I tend to ask some pretty silly questions, but was surprised to
find the answers to my silly questions not so silly: What is up with our fire
hydrants? They look like they are all going to Studio 54. There is a really good
reason for that. The colors not only make it easy for our people to find, but
they also denote how much water the hydrant is capable of releasing. That’s
good information to know. Also, you know those random blue deflectors that
you come across in the street and wonder how hungover the highway guy
was that day. Those suit a purpose too. They mark where out of place, hard
to locate hydrants are for the people who are looking for such things. You
learn something new every day.
The TIFD is available to give informational speeches for most organizations
and often speak to the kids at the Maritime Academy about fire safety and
prevention. Don’t forget that October (I know its September right now) is Fire
Prevention Month and that is the time where you swap out your smoke alarm
batteries and just cruise your house making sure all is in order. If you have
any questions about anything in your home, TIFD would rather you call them
for clarification than show up at your house in the middle of the night trying
to save you, your family and your possessions.
Tybee Island Fire Department is currently looking for dedicated professional
men and women to join the team, whether through full time or volunteer. You
need to have a high school diploma or GED, have no felonies, be a team
player and of course, be a full time Tybee resident. You can contact the TIFD
directly for further information. If you have no desire to join the TIFD, thank
a fire fighter when you see one. They do a tough job and recognition and a
thank you goes a long way.
Special thanks to Chief Jason Patterson, Todd Smith, Tammy Smith, Alice
Jonsson, John Dahl, Sam Byers, Shawn Gillen, Chris Epley and Tudor for
taking the time to sit down and chat with me about their jobs and what being
a part of the Tybee Island Fire Department means to them.
On a side note, baked goods at Christmas are more than welcome!