Danny C. Named Firefighter of the Year
Horizons in Hemophilia, August 2011
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By Karen Daniel, Marketing and Communications Director
HoG client and volunteer Danny C. was recently named Firefighter of the Year by the Ben Hill Volunteer Fire Department. Each year the 30 members of the Ben Hill Fire Department vote on one person as Firefighter of the Year and the award is presented at a banquet. Danny said he was very surprised when his name was called at the banquet in March of this year. He was told that he was selected because he gave the greatest effort over the past year.
Danny has worked for the Ben Hill County and Ocilla Fire Departments for about three years. He began volunteering after his own house caught fire and it took a long time for the fire department to arrive due to a lack of members. He wants to keep other people from having the same experience. In addition to fighting fires, Danny also works as a Hazardous Materials Technician and was recently certified as an instructor for Pressurized Container Fire Control, which means he can teach other firefighters what to do if there is a fire involving propane tanks.
In addition to being a nationally certified firefighter, Danny recently completed his training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant and is considering becoming certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He hopes to work as a full-time firefighter and EMT in the future.
Danny realizes that firefighting is one of the most dangerous professions in the world but he does not let his bleeding disorder stand in his way. Although he has been told in the past what he can’t do, he prefers to focus on what he can do. For his safety, he keeps factor in each fire station and in his truck in case he gets hurt. Danny says “As long as you know your limits, don’t let your disorder take over your life. Some people live in a bubble. I pop the bubble every chance I get. There’s so much you can do.”
After attending Camp Wannaklot for many years as a child and teen, Danny became a Camp Wannaklot volunteer counselor as soon as he was old enough. Camp Wannaklot 2011 was his third year as a volunteer counselor.