Volunteering with Southampton Fire Company led Jill Etris to become a nurse in the Neonatal ICU and work as an EMT. “I always wanted to be a firefighter and quickly realized I wanted to be an EMT as well,” said Jill. “I loved both of them so it led to my career in healthcare and helping people.” Jill is currently …
On AJ Ridge’s 14th birthday, he submitted his application to volunteer at the Southampton Fire Company. “I’m a fifth generation firefighter with the Southampton Fire Company. I wanted to continue the legacy and give back to my community like I saw my dad and grandfather do,” said AJ, who is turning 19 next month. “Ages 14 through 16 is a …
Looking for a group of people to be a part of while also giving back to others, Nick Sturgis joined Southampton Fire Company as a 14-year-old junior firefighter. “Being a junior really gave me an open eye into the field of public safety,” said Nick, now 22. “Joining the fire company at a young age gave me a path in …
As an all-volunteer organization, Southampton Fire Company counts on its members to keep it running smoothly. “It takes a large group of volunteers working together to run a fire department. It’s like running a business and there’s a lot to keep it operating,” said Hanne Stahl, treasurer. “Not everyone needs to run into a burning building to support the fire …
Inspired by his dad, Logan Hanefeld joined Southampton Fire Company at 14 years old as a junior firefighter. “Watching my dad grow from Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief to Deputy Chief, he became my role model and I want to be where he is now one day,” said Logan, who has been volunteering for five years. In addition to responding to …
When Mike Lorenz was fresh out of law school, one of the first things interviewers would ask him about was his volunteer firefighting experience with Southampton Fire Company. “With all the resumes law firms were getting, I thought, ‘What could separate me?” said Mike. “The public perception of volunteer firefighting is pretty good and makes a great talking point in …
Matthew Maier, Rotational Lieutenant at Southampton Fire Company and firefighter in the Air Force, has always been interested in what first responders do and giving back to the community. “I joined to explore it and ended up falling in love with it,” he said. At 14, Matthew joined Southampton as a junior firefighter, became a certified firefighter at 18, and …
A volunteer firefighter for eight years, Amanda McKenney has been learning about the fire service her whole life through her father, who is the current Chief, uncles, grandfather and brother. “Being able to do this job with my dad and brother can only be described as incredible,” says Amanda. “We continuously have the ability to learn from one another, discuss operations …
One thing the community can count on when it comes to Southampton Fire Company is dedication. Since 1909 Southampton has been 100% volunteer and committed to providing top-tier service. To continue this dedication, Southampton Fire Company has launched a four-year recruitment campaign in order to grow its volunteer base and the foundation that has supported the company for over a …
