POTTSVILLE — Pottsville Fire Chief Brad Judkins decided it’s never too late to start a tradition.
Judkins presented Capt. John Schaeffer with the inaugural Pottsville Firefighter of the Year award in December.
“I guess we’re behind the times on starting something like this,” Judkins said, laughing. “It’ll be an annual thing I do from here on out.”
Judkins has been a volunteer with the Pottsville Fire Department for almost 23 years and chief for 11.
“We’ve never had Firefighter of the Year before at Pottsville; we just kind of
recognized guys throughout the year. My assistant chief [and I] got to talking last year and decided that was something we might do to maybe boost morale with the guys, help give them something to strive for,” Judkins said.
He selected the 29-year-old Schaeffer from among 18 volunteer firefighters, he said.
“I looked at everybody overall, as far as what they contribute and what they do. John really stepped up this year in response to calls. He’s a captain in my department. He takes care of my building maintenance for me” and heads up the Explorer program for teenagers who aren’t old enough to join the Fire Department but are interested in firefighting. Judkins said Schaeffer makes sure the Explorers get the basic training they need.
Schaeffer is also a member of the Pottsville Planning Commission.
“That was kind of the criteria I looked at when I decided on John — how much time he devotes to helping the department. He owns his own business, as well as doing this on the side,” Judkins said.
Schaeffer, who owns The Granite Shop in Russellville, said he was surprised to receive the honor.
“It’s exciting,” he said.
Schaeffer, a native of Pottsville, has been a volunteer with the department for 6 1/2 years. He said someone called and invited him to join the department.
“I hadn’t thought about it before that,” he said.
However, he does have a role model in his family.
Schaeffer’s father, Wendell, is a volunteer firefighter in Bluffton in Yell County and is a former Russellville firefighter. The elder Schaeffer also works in The Granite Shop with his son.
John Schaeffer and his wife, Tami, have three children: Lauren, a third-grader; Lucas, a first-grader; and Leah, 2.
Schaeffer said he leaves the shop if he can when a fire call comes in.
“We still run more fire and rescue than we do medical,” he said. Schaeffer, who is a medical responder, said firefighters provide basic life support until the ambulance arrives at a scene.
Judkins said the department makes 250 to 300 runs a year, and about 40 percent are medical calls.
Schaeffer said the calls that stand out in his mind are “more on the medical side,” and he didn’t want to give details. He said “90 percent of our calls are pretty life-threatening.”
Many calls are from people who have had accidents in their homes, he said.
“Every call you have is usually someone having their worst day, so it’s nice to be there for people at that time,” Schaeffer said.
Judkins praised his firefighters because he said it’s a challenge to get volunteer firefighters.
“The volunteer world, it’s getting harder and harder to get people and retain people,” he said. “Before, they worked and lived in community and could go help take care of things like that. Anymore, jobs won’t allow you to do that.”
Judkins said that when he became chief, he and his wife, Crystal, started hosting a Christmas dinner to show their appreciation for the firefighters. The past few years, he’s served gumbo.
“It’s something a little different, something a little fun,” he said.
The volunteer firefighters receive $15 per call they respond to during the year, and their checks are given at this dinner, too, Judkins said. He also buys gifts cards for the firefighters with his own money to thank them for making his job easier, he said. And now the Firefighter of the Year Award will be presented each year at the dinner.
“It’s a rare thing to find people who really have a passion and want to do this anymore,” he said. “I’m blessed to have a good group of guys.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.