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Firefighting-In the Family's Blood
How about a nice hand salute to this fine family?
Fighting fires is in family's blood
By DONNA BAXTER
Springfield News-Leader
ROGERSVILLE, Mo. (AP) - Earlene Stirts was not surprised eight
years ago when her son, Zach, then 13, announced his decision to
become a firefighter.
It's in his blood.
There's his father, Rich Stirts, 42, chief at Logan-Rogersville
Fire Protection District.
And his grandfather, Bud Stirts, 61, fire chief at Pilot Knob in
Iron County.
And his great-grandfather, Guy Stirts, 84, who still works
12-hour shifts as dispatcher for the Roscoe, Ill., department.
"It's pretty much what they do," said Earlene Stirts, adding
that Zach, now 21, was "more or less raised" in the firehouse. If
they went on a call, he went along.
Zach said he was motivated as a boy by watching and listening to
the older firefighters at the Blackman Road station that used to
serve as headquarters. The family spent many evenings there after
Rich got off work.
And he said he's always interested in the stories his
grandfather and great-grandfather tell, "how it was and the
equipment they used."
Bud Stirts became the first firefighter in the family 45 years
ago after seeing firefighters try to save an electrocuted teenager.
"I saw them working on him, and it kind of moved me," he said.
Since then he has seen many other sights that would sicken the
average individual.
"When people ask me, 'How can you do that?"' Bud said, "I
always say 'You do it and then let it go; don't ponder on it."'
Third-generation firefighter Rich Stirts remembers that there
was not much to do in a small town while he was growing up, so he
hung out around the firehouse. He had gone with his dad on calls
since he was about 7.
"In the winter we shoveled snow and in summer we polished the
trucks," said Rich.
He vividly remembers his first call after he joined the cadets
at age 10.
"It was a fatality wreck, and they wouldn't let us near it,"
he said.
He was named Fireman of the Year during his freshman year in
high school, and at age 15 became secretary-treasurer for the fire
department.
Being given so much responsibility at such a young age made him
what he is today, he said. By the time he moved to this area in
1986 to work for the Missouri Department of Conservation, he
already had 13 years of service in Pilot Knob.
Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District was organized in
1987, and Rich Stirts was named chief in 1992.
"The entire time I've been at the department I've held to this:
We can't correct other people's mistakes but we can open ourselves
up to the people," he said. "We can help others from making the
same mistakes."
Guy Stirts, the first-generation fireman in the Stirts family,
although not the first to work as a firefighter, said he helped out
around the firehouse for about five years before going full time 17
years ago.
"I don't run on trucks anymore," he said. "Somebody has to
stay at the firehouse, and if I stay that relieves a younger man to
go fight the fire."
Regarding the element of danger, he said, "Every fireman has
faced grave situations but it's his job and he faces it every
day."
With volunteer departments in years past, he said, there was a
fire now and then.
"But now the calls are so continuous that we need full-time
people at firehouses to be effective."
The increase in calls can partly be attributed to the fact that
they don't just fight fires anymore, explained Earlene,
Rogersville's deputy city clerk.
"They respond to medical emergencies, highway accidents,
rescue, (hazardous materials), do education, service and basically
just about anything that nobody else wants to do."
Zach Stirts, an Ozarks Technical Community College graduate in
computer networking, works for UPS Freight full time and at the
station part time. His goal is to apply for an information
technician position with LRFPD if one opens up.
"I'd like to network all six fire stations - have all computers
interlinked," he said.
"I'm excited about No. 584," a fire truck named in memory of
Missouri Highway Patrol Cpl. Jay Sampietro, also a LRFPD volunteer
firefighter, Zach said. "It has a lot of technology and all the
latest advanced firefighting equipment and apparatus, including a
light tower on top that can be raised for night work."
Guy Stirts has another grandson, Rich's brother Steve Stirts,
33, who serves with Bud in Pilot Knob.
"I'm very proud of my family," the firefighting patriarch
said. "Public service is giving back to the community. It's an
honor."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Fighting fires is in family's blood
By DONNA BAXTER
Springfield News-Leader
ROGERSVILLE, Mo. (AP) - Earlene Stirts was not surprised eight
years ago when her son, Zach, then 13, announced his decision to
become a firefighter.
It's in his blood.
There's his father, Rich Stirts, 42, chief at Logan-Rogersville
Fire Protection District.
And his grandfather, Bud Stirts, 61, fire chief at Pilot Knob in
Iron County.
And his great-grandfather, Guy Stirts, 84, who still works
12-hour shifts as dispatcher for the Roscoe, Ill., department.
"It's pretty much what they do," said Earlene Stirts, adding
that Zach, now 21, was "more or less raised" in the firehouse. If
they went on a call, he went along.
Zach said he was motivated as a boy by watching and listening to
the older firefighters at the Blackman Road station that used to
serve as headquarters. The family spent many evenings there after
Rich got off work.
And he said he's always interested in the stories his
grandfather and great-grandfather tell, "how it was and the
equipment they used."
Bud Stirts became the first firefighter in the family 45 years
ago after seeing firefighters try to save an electrocuted teenager.
"I saw them working on him, and it kind of moved me," he said.
Since then he has seen many other sights that would sicken the
average individual.
"When people ask me, 'How can you do that?"' Bud said, "I
always say 'You do it and then let it go; don't ponder on it."'
Third-generation firefighter Rich Stirts remembers that there
was not much to do in a small town while he was growing up, so he
hung out around the firehouse. He had gone with his dad on calls
since he was about 7.
"In the winter we shoveled snow and in summer we polished the
trucks," said Rich.
He vividly remembers his first call after he joined the cadets
at age 10.
"It was a fatality wreck, and they wouldn't let us near it,"
he said.
He was named Fireman of the Year during his freshman year in
high school, and at age 15 became secretary-treasurer for the fire
department.
Being given so much responsibility at such a young age made him
what he is today, he said. By the time he moved to this area in
1986 to work for the Missouri Department of Conservation, he
already had 13 years of service in Pilot Knob.
Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District was organized in
1987, and Rich Stirts was named chief in 1992.
"The entire time I've been at the department I've held to this:
We can't correct other people's mistakes but we can open ourselves
up to the people," he said. "We can help others from making the
same mistakes."
Guy Stirts, the first-generation fireman in the Stirts family,
although not the first to work as a firefighter, said he helped out
around the firehouse for about five years before going full time 17
years ago.
"I don't run on trucks anymore," he said. "Somebody has to
stay at the firehouse, and if I stay that relieves a younger man to
go fight the fire."
Regarding the element of danger, he said, "Every fireman has
faced grave situations but it's his job and he faces it every
day."
With volunteer departments in years past, he said, there was a
fire now and then.
"But now the calls are so continuous that we need full-time
people at firehouses to be effective."
The increase in calls can partly be attributed to the fact that
they don't just fight fires anymore, explained Earlene,
Rogersville's deputy city clerk.
"They respond to medical emergencies, highway accidents,
rescue, (hazardous materials), do education, service and basically
just about anything that nobody else wants to do."
Zach Stirts, an Ozarks Technical Community College graduate in
computer networking, works for UPS Freight full time and at the
station part time. His goal is to apply for an information
technician position with LRFPD if one opens up.
"I'd like to network all six fire stations - have all computers
interlinked," he said.
"I'm excited about No. 584," a fire truck named in memory of
Missouri Highway Patrol Cpl. Jay Sampietro, also a LRFPD volunteer
firefighter, Zach said. "It has a lot of technology and all the
latest advanced firefighting equipment and apparatus, including a
light tower on top that can be raised for night work."
Guy Stirts has another grandson, Rich's brother Steve Stirts,
33, who serves with Bud in Pilot Knob.
"I'm very proud of my family," the firefighting patriarch
said. "Public service is giving back to the community. It's an
honor."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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