WAGNER GRIER, EMT
Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad – Company 13
Has volunteered for almost 17 years.

As a kid, I’d always been interested in the medical field. So, later, I saw volunteering as a way to meet that need I had – to help people. Recruits will have a rare opportunity to maybe once in a lifetime come into someone’s life and to help them physically become better, to overcome the medical challenges they have at the time.

KAREN DELI, Paramedic and EMT Instructor
Lovettsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Company 12
Has volunteered since 1988.

Being a volunteer keeps me grounded. There’s always a call that makes me rethink when I think I’ve had a bad day and my mundane stress goes away. We have to be at the top of our game when we get medical calls, so we do a lot of training. And when a call comes, we’re pumped up because we’re ready. When everybody knows their job, does their job and there’s complete focus – it’s amazing to be part of that team effort.

CLAY McCUISTION, Firefighter and EMT
Philomont Volunteer Fire Department – Company 8
Has volunteered as a firefighter for eight years and an EMT for six.

Being a volunteer firefighter and now an EMT has filled a gap I had after retiring from a very active business life. In addition, it was something to do for my community. There’s always something to learn, and since your life and other people’s are on the line, you want to do the job right. That’s why it’s important to keep training.

ALLIE LOVE, Paramedic
Middleburg Volunteer Fire Department – Company 3
Has volunteered for 16 years.  

As an EMT, I have the chance to see a situation, deal with it, and feel the immediacy of having had an impact on people's lives. EMTs take someone else’s emergency, make it theirs and fix it. Volunteering has opened my eyes to the needs of the community as well as the abilities of the community. Many people don’t realize their skills could be critical to the success of the fire department.

GARY CORPUZ, Firefighter and Paramedic
Ashburn Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Company 6
Has volunteered for 12 years.

Volunteering has exceeded my expectations: I am now the assistant chief of my department, and as a recruit I hadn’t had aspirations to achieve this level of responsibility. It has also made me feel good about myself—I’ve done a lot of things other people can’t say they’ve done. Being a volunteer requires time and commitment, but it’s an exciting job and one in which you’ll meet a lot of good people.

MO RIST, EMT
Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad – Company 15
Has volunteered for more than four years.  

I’d tell recruits that if being a volunteer is something you’ve always wanted to try, jump in with both feet. You’ll learn critical skills. As an EMT, I’ve learned how to communicate more effectively—something that has affected me across this job, across my paying job and across my personal communications with people.

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...read further for more volunteer experiences

Meeting all the different people, fellow members, trainers and the people we've helped and saved, Gosh it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything! I think it would have taken a lot out of the feeling of accomplishment and self satisfaction if I was paid for it. Then it's like another day’s work, nothing special about it.  

More than what I expected. You have to first care about what you are doing, regardless of whether you get a paycheck or not. If you join for the wrong reasons, you are doomed for failure.

I didn't realize how rewarding it would be. And the more I get involved, the more rewarding it seems. And I guess I wasn't sure I would be any good at it.

I had no idea it would take as much time as it has. I also did not know how much I would enjoy it and how many people I would meet and friends I would make. My only regret is that I did not start volunteering sooner because of how rewarding it is for me.

It has been eye opening. I did not know what these people did or the responsibility they have on their shoulders. I am humbled by their efforts on my behalf as a citizen. And the opportunity to serve has given me a purpose in retirement and kept me active.

It's been an amazing ride. Being a volunteer Fire Fighter/EMT has made me a much better person and taught me some very important lessons in life.

It has demanded more of my time than I ever imagined. Being an officer is a big responsibility that I do not take lightly. I don't want to let down my station or my community. However I have a passion for what I'm doing, and have always wanted to be a firefighter since I was a small boy.

I am proud of my administrative service in support of our firefighters and EMTs. It is all I expected and more.  

Exciting, and rewarding, I've been doing this for a long time (25 years.) When I moved here I knew the County was busy and very progressive and I was surprised how well the fire departments in the County are trained and equipped.

When I started volunteering a few months ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was my first time getting involved with the fire & EMS community. There was some self-doubt; I wasn't sure that I could actually contribute much of anything meaningful. All of that has changed. I've passed CPR and EVOC. I'm now taking HAZMAT and will be starting EMT-B shortly. I've grown in ways that I would never have expected when I joined. I've befriended folks who now feel more like extended family than anything. I'm more self-confident and self-assured. It is safe to say that my experience with volunteering has exceeded any expectations I had when I joined. My experiences have changed my life for the better, and will only continue to do so as my involvement increases.  

The experience has been more rewarding than I had expected. The benefits of personal growth and accomplishment in a new field and of acquiring a second family have outweighed the extensive time commitment required for certification, duty crew shifts and involvement in multiple administrative functions.

It is what I was expecting. Work hard, play hard and go home feeling good that you made a difference, or at least tried to.

Answer the Call! Join us today; call 703.777.0595!  Or click here to JOIN!