Volunteer Firefighter Spotlight – Josh Jackson

April 26, 2024

The fire service is a family affair for the Jacksons. When he joined the fire department, Josh Jackson, volunteer at Dillon County Station 2, followed in the footsteps of his dad and older brother. The lights, sirens, and adrenaline of riding along with dad to a call was enough reason for him to volunteer.

“My dad used to take me and my brother on calls all the time and we’d obviously have to sit in the truck but the adrenaline, to hear the sirens, it’s like ‘Man, this is awesome, this is cool,’” he recalled.

“Watching my dad make somebody’s day go from very bad to good… being able to get there and watch him make their day better and their face light up when they see lights on a vehicle pull up, you can’t put a price on it,” Josh said.

Soon enough, Josh found a deep passion for the job. He went through recruit school after high school and worked in Florence as a fulltime firefighter for nearly a decade.

Josh works for himself now doing construction work. The love for the job never left him, though. He still volunteers because of “the satisfaction to know I’ve made somebody’s day.” His support system is strong and a big part of the reason he’s able to do all he does.

“My family loves to see me run out the door. My kids, they love it,” Josh laughed. “My family backs me 100 percent.”

Josh understands and appreciates the different roles people play on the fireground. It takes a team working together to achieve a goal.

“Maybe going inside a fire’s not for you, but I love the guy that’s standing there that hands me a Gatorade or puts a cool towel around my neck or changes a cylinder,” Josh said about the importance of support roles.

Volunteer firefighters give so much to their communities, and the benefits can be returned tenfold. “You’re gonna get out what you put in it,” Josh said.