Volunteer Spotlight: Josh Coleman

Name: Josh Coleman
Title: Captain
Department: Floyd Romance Volunteer Fire Department
Location: Romance, AR

Why are you an NVFC member?
Because I believe that in order to be an asset to your community and the fire service, you must always be willing to learn.

What is your occupation?
Locomotive engineer

Why are you a fire service volunteer?
After serving in the military, I always felt like there was an empty spot in my life. I have a great career and even better family, but always felt that something was missing. I signed up at the local volunteer fire department and started training and running calls, and that’s what I was missing. Showing up on someone’s worst day and making it better; running towards things everyone else wants to get away from.

What year did you join the fire or emergency services?
2021

What are your memorable moments as a firefighter or EMS provider?
We have a local family who we frequently run medical calls to, and one of the children started having anxiety over the sirens. Didn’t matter where he was at, he always thought of sirens as a bad day and started heading towards a panic attack. So, we invited the family to dinner at the station and let the kids do all the “kids” things at the station. He realized that sirens mean help is coming and that it’s going to be okay.

What contributions have you (and your department) made in your community?
Our department hosts multiple fundraisers. Two of the most popular are: kids’ fun day, which is a mini carnival at the main station at the end of summer; and deer hunters’ breakfast, which we start at 4am on opening day and feed anyone who stops by a hot breakfast before they head to the woods to hunt.

Interested in serving your community? Find volunteer fire service opportunities at www.MakeMeAFirefighter.org.