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Some of the Arbala VFD (Station 17) from left to right; Brennan Murray, Tristan Fairchild, Christy Fairchild, Brian Fairchild and Blake Neal
Firefighting
Arbala Volunteer Fire Department is proud to send five of its members to get their firefighter certification through the Texas Forest Service firefighter grant
Tristan Fairchild, Brendan Kerns, Brennan Murray, Bryan Patrick and Blake Neal will receive up to $1,250 in reimbursement for training from the state when they complete their 12-week fire training in September and October. Although they will also complete an 8-week emergency medical services course immediately afterwards, the grant does not reimburse for this, according to Arbala VFD chief Brian Fairchild.
“It really works out to a lot more money once you take into account the money you lose out on account of you have to take off work,” Brian said. “This is a way to help them out and help their families out and send them to school since it’s tough on some people.”
Two members of the Arbala VFD have already taken advantage of this grant program: River Thomas and Christy Fairchild.
If you’re seeing the Fairchild connection, you’re not the only one. Chief Brian and wife Christy are a firefighting duo, and now with 21-year-old son Tristan looking forward to receiving formal training, it will be a family affair.
“It’s just the excitement of helping people and running calls,” Tristan said about his motivation for joining the Arbala VFD.
“He just wants to take after his mama,” Christy added.
“It’s not real common,” Brian said. “You’ll see a dad and son and they’re both firefighters, that’s pretty neat, but when you throw mom in there and she’s a firefighter too, that’s pretty cool. I’d like to see that more around here. I think we will see more women in the fire service.”
The average age of the recruits Arbala is sending through the Forest Service’s grant program is young: Tristan is the oldest at 21, the others are 18.
“I really like it because it brings in the younger generation volunteering in our area,” Brian said. “They volunteer and then they realize if they like being firefighters or not. Most of the time they do; they get hooked when they get their first fire,” Brian said.
That’s certainly what happened for Murray, he says. When Murray was just 16, the Arbala VFD responded when Murray’s own home caught on fire.
“They came and put it out, and it was just really cool,” Murray said. “I started hanging out with people that were volunteering and it caught my interest. I came over here and it just kind of stuck.”
Murray has been hanging around the Arbala station house and riding out on calls since he was 16, which is the age at which teens are allowed to do so with parents permission in Hopkins County.
“There’s always something new and it’s always interesting,” Murray said.
Brian believes that getting young adults trained will be the future of Hopkins County fire service.
“A lot of the VFDs here in Hopkins County have older people. One day they’re going to get to where they can’t handle this heat like we’re in right now, so we got to start getting younger people interested and let them know they’re welcome,” Brian said.
Brian said it’s a main priority of the Arbala VFD to help their volunteers advance in training so they can become career firefighters or EMTs, if they so choose.
“Training and education are constant. I’m even still doing continuing education,” Brian said. “It changes every day, and if you don’t like studying, this isn’t for you.”
However, the hard work is worth it, according to Brian, especially due to the now-available grants. “It’s better than 20 years ago when I had to take out a loan and these grants weren’t so available. Helping them out means so much to me. Now they can get their education and go out and get a job. And I plan on all them getting jobs,” he said.