2008 Woodie Awards
SBU students risk lives to save others
Amanda Custard
Issue date: 11/11/04 Section: Feature
- Page 1 of 1
Two Southwest Baptist University students dedicate several hours a week to help the citizens of Bolivar.
Sophomore Danny Burkhead and senior Jonathan Lichtenwalner are part of the Bolivar Fire Department's 25-member volunteer squad.
Burkhead became a volunteer at the beginning of the school year after talking to his Welcome Week group leader, senior Cooper Carver.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," Burkhead said. "I was just waiting until I got older."
Lichtenwalner grew up with fire fighting all around him.
"My father was on a volunteer fire department," Lichtenwalner said. "I used his old radio and I still use his old designation number."
Burkhead is new to the department, but Lichtenwalner has a lot of experience behind him.
"I first got involved with fire fighting in high school," Lichtenwalner said. "I was a founding member of Explorers, a division of Boy Scouts that helps with all civil organizations like fire and police departments."
After some basic training, Burkhead joined the Bolivar fire fighting squad. "We train as we go," Burkhead said. "It's progressive. If there's something we don't know how to do yet, we don't do it."
Due to the amount of volunteer time he's spent with squad, Lichtenwalner has been trained in several specialized areas.
"I am certified as a HazMat (Hazardous Materials) Tech 40 and a chemical identification specialist, meaning that with tools I can tell exactly what kind of chemical something is," Lichtenwalner said.
When there is a fire, the volunteers are contacted via a pager. "After I get paged, I get in my car and drive to the station," Burkhead said. "Then I put on my gear and ride to the fire on the fire engine."
Burkhead said "I'm called to an emergency about seven times a week." Usually about one of those seven is a fire."
Both students respond to fires, car crashes, cover fires and search and rescues.
"I recently helped look for a lost little girl in the park," Burkhead said. "We searched through creeks and around the playground equipment, but luckily, she ended up being at her neighbor's house."
Burkhead dedicates about eight to 10 hours a week to his fire fighting job, but he does not mind the commitment.
"I love hanging out with the guys and getting experience from them," he said. "I really like being on-site with them."
Although fire fighting is serious and sometimes life-threatening, Burkhead says does not get scared.
"I know that the firefighters I work with are well-trained. I trust them with my life," he said. "I get in the mind-set that I have a job to do."
Lichtenwalner disagrees. "Everybody gets scared," he said. "You deal with very dangerous stuff. Luckily, some of the fear stays with you and keeps you on your edge."
Lichtenwalner feels that most volunteer fire departments have a bad reputation.
"A lot of people think that a volunteer department is just a bunch of redneck hicks hanging out together, but there are some of the best trained people in the state in our department," he said. They are really highly skilled people."
Both students love making a difference in people's lives.
"My favorite part of the job is when I know that I've done something to make a difference," Lichtenwalner said. "I know that I'm helping people in their worst times."
Sophomore Danny Burkhead and senior Jonathan Lichtenwalner are part of the Bolivar Fire Department's 25-member volunteer squad.
Burkhead became a volunteer at the beginning of the school year after talking to his Welcome Week group leader, senior Cooper Carver.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," Burkhead said. "I was just waiting until I got older."
Lichtenwalner grew up with fire fighting all around him.
"My father was on a volunteer fire department," Lichtenwalner said. "I used his old radio and I still use his old designation number."
Burkhead is new to the department, but Lichtenwalner has a lot of experience behind him.
"I first got involved with fire fighting in high school," Lichtenwalner said. "I was a founding member of Explorers, a division of Boy Scouts that helps with all civil organizations like fire and police departments."
After some basic training, Burkhead joined the Bolivar fire fighting squad. "We train as we go," Burkhead said. "It's progressive. If there's something we don't know how to do yet, we don't do it."
Due to the amount of volunteer time he's spent with squad, Lichtenwalner has been trained in several specialized areas.
"I am certified as a HazMat (Hazardous Materials) Tech 40 and a chemical identification specialist, meaning that with tools I can tell exactly what kind of chemical something is," Lichtenwalner said.
When there is a fire, the volunteers are contacted via a pager. "After I get paged, I get in my car and drive to the station," Burkhead said. "Then I put on my gear and ride to the fire on the fire engine."
Burkhead said "I'm called to an emergency about seven times a week." Usually about one of those seven is a fire."
Both students respond to fires, car crashes, cover fires and search and rescues.
"I recently helped look for a lost little girl in the park," Burkhead said. "We searched through creeks and around the playground equipment, but luckily, she ended up being at her neighbor's house."
Burkhead dedicates about eight to 10 hours a week to his fire fighting job, but he does not mind the commitment.
"I love hanging out with the guys and getting experience from them," he said. "I really like being on-site with them."
Although fire fighting is serious and sometimes life-threatening, Burkhead says does not get scared.
"I know that the firefighters I work with are well-trained. I trust them with my life," he said. "I get in the mind-set that I have a job to do."
Lichtenwalner disagrees. "Everybody gets scared," he said. "You deal with very dangerous stuff. Luckily, some of the fear stays with you and keeps you on your edge."
Lichtenwalner feels that most volunteer fire departments have a bad reputation.
"A lot of people think that a volunteer department is just a bunch of redneck hicks hanging out together, but there are some of the best trained people in the state in our department," he said. They are really highly skilled people."
Both students love making a difference in people's lives.
"My favorite part of the job is when I know that I've done something to make a difference," Lichtenwalner said. "I know that I'm helping people in their worst times."
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