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ServeStudents' service puts lives on IfneJumorsKoby Feather and Russ Gray faced some responsibilitiesthat the average college student did not have toworry about. \Vhile most students' anxieties were turningin assignments or papers on time or s'luec7ing in enough studytime right before a big rest, Feather and Gray's job as volunteerftre6ghterscaused them to be on call 24/7, ready to drop whateverthey were doing at a moments notice when needed.Feather, part of a three-generation firefighcing family withhis father and grandfather, had been a volunteer firefigtucr forover seven years. Both Feather's father and grandfarher were onthe unit he joined. He started going with his father seven yearsago and then officially became a member twO years latct.Gray had been a firefighter for over three years. Graystarted Out with the Progress Fire Department in Harrisburg,Pennsylvania. He volunteered there until he moved and cameto Harding.''My interest in firefighting sooted in my senior year of highschool when 1 felt a calling and desire to do more with my lifeand serve my community tI,e best I could," Gray said.After coming to Harding, both Feather and Gray hecanlevolwueers at Southeast \V'hite County Fire and Rescue Department(SEWCO) in Griffithville, Arkansas. Since the SEWCOdepartment was soldy volunteer run, they were both on call allthe time. \X1hile not having fires to fight would generally be agood thing, Gray said the waiting in between calls could be atough part of the job."[MyJ least favorite part of the job is the waits for calls, andthe down time that comes with those wairs," he said.But for Feather and Gray, the benefits of the job greatlyovershadowed any downsides that came with it."'F!refighcing is a hard but I.'e\vardingjob," Feather said. ''You'reable to do something good for others. Most of the Christianfirefighters I know see firefighting as a way to imitate Christ. Weare sacrificing our well-being to help save others."Gray acknowledged that there was a need for this kind ofservice despite the risk that it entailed."1 r's a job that is known for its danger. and someone needsto go out and do it because tIlere are not a lot of people tl,atwant to go do it," Gray said. "1 t's nice to know that people outthere appreciate what we do as volunteer firefighters."One of the biggest things that continued to inspire bothFeather and Gray was the bond of brotherhood with thosewhom they served a1ongsklc. Though Feadler initially became afirefighter because of his father and grandfather, he also foundreasons of his own."T he excitement and d,e bonds you make with the adlermembers is one of the reasons I stayed," he said.Closely associated with the excitement from firefighting wasthe element of danger. Feather recalled some particularly dangerousinstances he experienced during responses to calls."\'{Ie were fighting a house fire and the house was gonewhen we arrived, so our main job was to keep it from spreading,"Feather said. "\'{!e thought we had the fire contained untilit breached and headed for a large propane tank. A couple ofus got hoses and kept the fire at bay till it died down . I f the tankhad exploded while we were that dose, we would ha\'c died orbeen snerdy injured."An incident Feather remembered also involved a housefire."[My dad and 1] were on the roof of the house trying cocut holes to let the smoke oue so the men inside could see bettcr,"he said. "\ X1hile we were up there, the fire inside the houseshi fted and burned some the supportS that wc were standingon. We fdt the roof move, and we were able to gCt off quicklybefore we were hurt."Both Feather and Gray said they planned to continue theirservice as fircfighters while also juggling the li fe of a student.Though their job had not yet interrupted any class time or sleep.it always remained a possibility.'We haven't had to run any calls during the day or in themiddle of the night since I joined [SEWCO ]," Gray said. ''Butif dlere were to be a call at any of those times, I would be readyto respond as quickJy as I could."Joseph Dickerson and Emily Hauptli"While [being a firefighter] is a bigresponsibility. it carries little effect onyour life until you're called. Then itis no longer about school but aboutpeople." Freohrnan Zachary LooJonN08h Darnell"I think it's awesome that Koby is afi16fghter; I'm very proud of him. "J.raPJIysoo Gedden. Nick MichaelJunior Koby Feather and sophomore Russ Gray spray water on aG'lffithvile. Ail< fire O::;t 26 WrIe m duty, tre fmli;Jhters w;re calOO 10800m IuJse fife n the aroo Courtesy of Koby FeatherJuniors Koby Feather and Allyson Gladden reiax at tt€ Super 80MboNIng EIej I\bv 3 The MO ....,t to watch It'e< foords Cffi'(J€te '" treM:lrday roghl baMrg