Type of Organization

Fire/Rescue Department - Volunteer

Job Function

Firefighter

Years in Fire/EMS:

3 years

Primary Fire/EMS Department:

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Dept.

Years With Department/Agency

1

Other Past or Current Departments and Organizations

West Liberty Volunteer Fire Department
Triadelphia Volunteer Fire Department

My Training:

First Aid/CPR/AED
HAZ-MAT Awareness/Operations
EMT-Basic (expired)
EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operators Course/Cert)
MCI Awareness/Operations
Firefighter Level 1

About Me:

I'm a WV guy, I'm still young, and I'm all about community and helping people out. I'm still new to this service, and it's been hard to train and learn as I am very busy with school and work. Despite that, I have a fiery passion to help those in need, and I don't want to fail them or those around me.

Day Job:

Records and Data Management Specialist I

Relationship Status:

In a Relationship

Facebook or Other Online Profile:

http://www.facebook.com/CJManningIII

Why I Joined Fire/EMS

My little brother and best friend from highschool got into it when I went away to college. When I came back and had some time on my hands, I decided maybe it was for me and started training and eventually started running with the college town's volunteer crew. Been loving it ever since.

Why I Love Fire/EMS

The feeling you get when you know you made a difference, when you helped someone you may not have ever known and expect nothing in return. That kind of good is something hard to replicate.

Top Issues Facing Responders:

Top issues include increasing pressures for government that are fazing out volunteers. It's getting harder and harder to get folks interested in volunteering, and it doesn't help that the amount of training just to help out and the amount of money that must be spent out of pocket to stay up on training is increasing. Even with sponsored traiing from a department, often you must still pay to drive there and more. It's time off your job, and it's a risk you're taking for the greater good. Hopefully we don't get fazed out too much, NFPS is great but some of the regulations would kill MANY local stations and it'd be hard to try and publicly fund that many paid departments.