From student to sergeant: College student serves at VFD in spare-time
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – When you think of the college experience, what comes to mind? Is fighting fires or helping save lives on that list?
The East Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department has many college students serving on its team.
Fire Coordinator Patrick Warner said they are a plus for the department.
Samuel Boin is a Senior at Mississippi State University.
But when he is not in class, he serves as a Sergeant at the East Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department.
“It’s totally changed the college experience. It really has. I know a lot of other college students out here will tell you that,” said Boin. “To be able to save lives and property, that’s what we do here at the fire department. That’s our two big things, saving lives and property. So getting the opportunity to do that is super satisfying. It’s a great thing to do in college. I’m young, fit, and I’ve got the time for it. So being able to do it out here 5 minutes away from the university where I live is really awesome.”
Oktibbeha County Fire Coordinator Patrick Warner said Boin ran 311 calls last year by himself.
“He ran more cars in the county than anybody else,” said Warner. “You could come by this department any time. There could be 6 to 8 college students sitting here in this station doing their homework on their computers, and they go to calls for us. They come out here, they sit in the stations, and we get a call. They get up and they go to the call and then they come back and do their work again.”
Boin, who is originally from Maryland, said he has always considered serving with a fire department. Now that he’s here, he said he wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“School is school. I enjoy it there. I get to do a lot of cool things there,” said Boin. “But this is the part of my college life that satisfies me the most. This is where I spend my time. This is where I hang out. After I’m done with class, I come right on out here to hang out and run some calls and hang out with (everyone). There’s a bunch of college students here I’ve made definitely friends for life. It’s like a family out here. The people who are out here every single night, we eat dinner together, we hang out together, we run calls together. It really is like a second family.”
Boin said his advice to anyone considering serving with the local fire department is to come and give it a try.
“It really is like a second family. And maybe it’s not for you, but maybe it is. I know it was for me and I love it. I know I’m going to be doing this, whether it’s career volunteer for the next 20 years, 20 plus years,” said Boin.
Anyone can volunteer. For more information on how to join, you can call (662)251-1820, or email pwarner@gtpdd.com.
