Meet Ship Bottom Volunteer Firefighter Jose Martinez
There were no signs of fire at the home that Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company had rushed to, but there was a scared little boy standing on the lawn, next to his mom.
“Is everything ok?” he asked.
“It’s going to be fine,” Firefighter Jose Martinez assured him. “We are here to help. “We’re going to go inside and make sure everything is ok.” The boy was visibly relieved. “Thank you,” his mom said.
The fire company’s first priority is always those who are injured or in danger, but they are there to help everyone. “We see kids all the time, and they get scared just looking at all of our gear. But once you give them reassurance, they become your best friend,” he said.
More than two decades ago, Jose was the frightened kid watching wide-eyed as firefighters rushed into his family home. “The smoke alarm was going off and it seemed like the whole department came,” he remembered. “The firefighters checked the whole house. They told my mom and I that everything was ok, and they made me feel safe.”
The experience inspired Jose, now 29, to become a firefighter – one who is always ready to reassure worried kids.
Jose and the other firefighters entered the home to confirm their initial assessment. They used a thermal imaging camera – a TIC in firefighter speak – to scan the walls, floors, and ceilings for any hot spots that would indicate something burning. Finding none, they examined the smoke detector whose alarm lead the family to call for help, and found the issue.
“The alarm was very old, and this was a false alarm” Jose said. “They have expiration dates – usually they are good for 7 to 10 years – and then must be changed.”
Jose and the crew shared what they learned with the mother and son: They needed a new smoke detector right away, but they and their home were safe. “You see, everything is fine!” Jose told the boy.
While helping others is Jose’s favorite part of firefighting, he also loves that Ship Bottom offers so many opportunities to learn and hone new skills. Jose, a master cutter at Bulkhead Beef and Seafood, will soon begin water rescue certification class.
“Ship Bottom offers so much free training,” he said. “You don’t need prior experience to become a firefighter. If you want to be that person who makes a difference, join our fire company.”Anyone interested should visit Shipbottomfirefighters.org to fill out a short volunteer inquiry form or learn more.