One Small Voice
by Laura McGaffey
Articles originally published in "The Voice in the Desert"
Sunsites-Pearce, Arizona

Richland Fire Station Guys and Gals

July 2008

At the corner of Havasu and Quarterhorse in the Richland Ranchettes stands the Sunsites-Pearce Fire District Richland Station House. The Sunsites-Pearce Fire District was formed in 1967 and in 1980 the Richland Ranchettes petitioned for annexation into the district. In 1983 Les and Mildred Small donated the land where the Richland Station was built in 1984. The station is home to Engine One and Tender One.

Three of the district’s firefighters live on the next street over paralleling Havasu. Two live next door to each other and the third lives across the street within hollering distance. Two other members live minutes away from the station house.

Thom and I have gotten close to the members of the Richland Station team. We have a great time when we get together for any reason. We like to help out when they have work parties for maintenance or to make improvements to the station, such as when the group got together to erect a light pole out back of the station so the pump could be illuminated during nighttime fires. Terry Porter, a firefighter from Sunizona brought his backhoe to dig the hole and donated the pole.

We got together recently for lunch at the station so I could interview them for this column. Will Kelch, another firefighter from the area, was on vacation.

Senior Firefighter and unofficial “chief” of the Richland Fire Station, Richard McMullen, joined the department shortly after he and his wife, Chris moved to the area two and a half years ago. He is an excellent team leader who keeps everyone motivated with his great sense of humor and common sense. When I asked him to get the Richland Station team together for a photo shoot and group interview he organized the meeting and everyone was there before I was. Richard was born in Des Moines, Iowa and was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He’s now 53.

What motivated you to get involved in the fire department?

To serve the community.

What kind of firefighting training/courses have you taken?

Firefighter 2, Firefighter 1, Structure, CPR, Helicopter Landing

College/other advanced schooling and what are your goals in that area?

I’m on track to qualify for Engine Boss soon and will continue to take advantage of any additional educational opportunities that are made available.

Current employment? Does your employer encourage/aid your involvement in the fire department?

I am self-employed and not only does my employer encourage my involvement, he demands it!

Do you have any goals/hopes for your continuing involvement with the fire department?

My focus is on continuous maintenance and upgrading of equipment at the Richland Station so services to the community keep expanding and our responses to the needs of the community are always becoming quicker.

Is there anything you want to say to the public about the fire department or your involvement with it?

Please call the department at 826-3645 to let us know when you are planning a controlled burn. With the prices of fuel skyrocketing we must, as a community, work together to make sure the fire trucks are dispatched only when truly necessary. Other districts require community members to pay for permits to burn and they assess hefty fines for non-compliance. Our district has never instituted such policies although Arizona law allows it and I hope we never have to resort to doing so.

I told you about Ken Myers in the May 2008 issue of the Voice and mentioned that he’s a volunteer firefighter with our Sunsites-Pearce department. He was born in Syracuse, New York and grew up in Baldwinsville, New York. He’s a very active 63 with an intense desire to be of continuing service to his community and has been with the department since 2007.

What motivated you to get involved in the fire department?

I want to serve the community.

What kind of firefighting training/courses have you taken?

Wildland, emergency vehicle driving, CPR, Helicopter Landing, I100, I700, FEMA.

Current employment? Does your employer encourage/aid your involvement in the fire department?

I am self-employed.

Do you have any goals/hopes for your continuing involvement with the fire department?

I want to take advantage of any further training to keep adding to my skills.

Is there anything you want to say to the public about the fire department or your involvement with it?

I am proud to serve my community and would not hesitate to compare our department’s personnel’s skills and equipment against any in the area.

Robert “Jayce” Suprenant was born in Tucson and raised in Arizona and Oklahoma. He is 19 and pursuing an Applied Associates of Science Degree in Fire Science at Cochise College. He joined the department in June of 2007.

What motivated you to get involved in the fire department?

I am pursuing my Fire Science degree at Cochise College and wanted to take advantage of any opportunity to apply what I’ve been learning out in the real world.

What kind of firefighting training/courses have you taken?

Basic Wildland (FF2), Hazmat First Responder Operations, Arizona State Fire School (Basic Firefighter Skills), Fire Science Program at Cochise College, Firefighter 1 and 2 certified (Az State structure certification)

College/other advanced schooling and what are your goals in that area?

Currently pursuing my degree in Fire Science at Cochise College

Current employment? Does your employer encourage/aid your involvement in the fire department?

I work for Boral Material Technologies. They greatly encourage my involvement in the department and my educational and career goals.

Do you have any goals/hopes for your continuing involvement with the fire department?

Yes, I plan on enrolling in the EMT class in the Fall and hope to get hired at the department as a part time EMT.

Is there anything you want to say to the public about the fire department or your involvement with it?

Support your local fire department!

Rebecca Chadburn joined the department as a volunteer firefighter in August 2007.

What motivated you to get involved in the fire department?

I always do volunteer work for my community.

What kind of firefighting training/courses have you taken?

First responder/chemical. Fire Truck Driving & Procedures. FEMA I-700 and FEMA I-900. Wildland.

Do you have any goals/hopes for your continuing involvement with the fire department?

To assist wherever possible.

Is there anything you want to say to the public about the fire department or your involvement with it?

We are team players and take the position of firefighter seriously.

It has become a cliché but the Richland Station team operates like a well-maintained machine. Each member, each cog in the system, has a set of skills and a level of expertise that complements all the others. They know how to get the job done and after the fire’s out they know how to let loose with the kidding to get the endorphins to flow.