By Marjorie Perezzella, Greenville Volunteer Fire Department
When I was in my junior year of high school, we had a program called SADD. It’s for students who go to prom and if they choose to drink and drive, we demonstrate what can happen during an accident. The fire company shows up and demonstrates what happens and what they do.
After that, I became interested in firefighting. Firefighting has been in my family for a long time. My step-father is a firefighter and so was his father, and my mother and grandmother.
Firefighting is in my blood. I was always interested in this profession. I loved going to the parades, meetings and drills. When the tones went off, I didn’t know what it was until I saw the fire trucks out and trucks at the station. I remember when I was in school doing sports, I would come down afterward to the firehouse to wait on my dad while they were having a meeting thinking “I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
After I graduated, I put in my application to be a firefighter. I was so happy to be a part of such a good organization and a good group of people who I call family. I became a firefighter to help the community, be a good role model for younger people. I love seeing the kids’ faces when we come to the school for Fire Prevention Week all dressed up in our bunker gear. I love firefighting: It’s a fun job and you learn a lot of stuff. I learn something new every day.
Now, years later, I am very involved in going to drills, meetings and calls. I am very happy where I am. I love being a firefighter. It has been an experience and a life-changing event for me.
