Article via MontgoToday
By Dan Weckerly
Husband-and-wife firefighters in Montgomery County cherish the opportunity to volunteer alongside one another. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association happily recognized these coupled Montco firefighters.
Tyler and Gina Walters-Miles
Tyler Miles and Gina Walters-Miles began volunteering at Limerick Fire Department as junior firefighters at age 16. Most of their family members volunteer at the fire station as well.
Tyler is a Lieutenant at Limerick Fire Department and Gina, atop her firefighting responsibilities, is the first female on the organization’s board of directors.
“Gina is incredibly smart and a go-getter. I love being able to spend time with her at home and training at the firehouse,” said Tyler, “We have a healthy volunteer- and home-life balance. We leave the fire stuff at the fire station.”
Jim and Lisa Atkins
Jim and Lisa Atkins moved to New Hanover in 2010 with their three children, and once their children became teenagers, they decided to serve their neighbors in a different way. They fell in love with their township, the community, and the second family at the New Hanover Fire and Rescue.
“I give credit to Jim for starting our firehouse journey. We wanted to show our kids that learning something new and going out of our comfort zone can be done at any age,” said Lisa.
“Lisa’s been a nurse for over 20 years. Her wealth of medical knowledge and compassionate nature is what makes her such a great volunteer. She has the drive to do better for herself and in turn to do better for the community,” said Jim.
Ray and Roberta Bracken
Ray and Roberta Bracken are life members at Centre Square Fire Company, but they currently serve at Skippack Fire Company.
“Ray’s compassion, courage and commitment to helping our community inspires me,” said Roberta, “but we do have a bit of a rivalry. I’ve made more calls than him,” she joked.
“It’s been a pleasure volunteering with Roberta. Roberta is a hands-on type of person who gets the job done no matter what. Her analytic skills are a huge asset when we respond to calls,” said Ray.
Get Involved
“There are a lot of ways to get involved with your local fire company. We have volunteer positions for firefighters, junior firefighters, EMTS, and administrative members,” said President of the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association, George Wilmot III.
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To show some Valentine’s Day love to a particular Montgomery County community, volunteer for a fire brigade.
Singles or couples can find more information online at Montco Firefighters.