As I walked up to Station 46 on Evans Road in Stone Oak, I heard machinery and laughter. The firefighters were working as a team to check their truck and raise its ladder. Cooperation and focus were balanced with humor and lightheartedness. While it was obvious that safety was their top priority, a comfortable and friendly atmosphere filled the entire station.
When most people think about fire stations, they imagine firefighters riding the truck to a blazing inferno and saving people’s lives. The firefighters of Station 46 certainly do that, but sometimes they go for an entire month or more without a fire. Most of the calls in their area are to senior living communities or neighborhood residents for medical reasons. The majority of their time is spent at the station, working and living together. When I asked Captain Chris Suther to tell me what it was like every day at Station 46, he told me right away, “It's a team. We're a family.”
The firefighters at Station 46 report for 24-hour shifts, which means they have to function much like a family would during that time. Everyone has chores like cooking, cleaning, and taking out the trash. Mixed in with their routine are equipment checks and required training hours. But if it weren’t for all that equipment, you would feel like you were in someone’s home. Comfortable couches, bedrooms, and a fully functioning kitchen make up most of the station’s interior. “It feels like hanging out at home with your best friends.” He also told me there’s always someone there to back you up and help you out when you need it.
While all that bonding time at the station means a lot to the firefighters, they never forget the times they made the biggest impacts. Captain Suther told me about a local child that they saved from a near-drowning, who still visits the station every few months so the family can continue to express their gratitude to everyone involved in saving his life. He told me, “When we get out there and we can make an actual difference to somebody, that feels good. You can't make a difference on all of them, but the ones you can, it's a good feeling.”
Captain Suther told me his father’s career as a firefighter inspired him to become one as well. Many of the firefighters at Station 46 come from firefighting families. Captain Suther acknowledged that it may be a stereotype, but he says he does this job because he likes helping people. “I like coming in and making a difference.” Firefighter Lee Brown added, “It’s not just a job, it’s something you become. This is who you are. You leave work, you’re still a firefighter. No matter where you go, you’re a firefighter.”
Station 46 stays very busy with community events, and they thoroughly enjoy participating in them. Woody Woodward, who works in Media Operations for the San Antonio Fire Department, informed me that they receive specific requests for Station 46 on a regular basis. They attend community parades, school events, and Touch-A-Truck, an event that gives kids the opportunity to see the fire truck up close and explore it. They are very busy in October during Fire Prevention Month, sometimes making up to three educational visits around San Antonio each day.
When I asked him how the community shows them gratitude, he joked, “We eat a lot of cookies around here!” In addition to cookies, the station gets visits from neighborhood residents, churches, and businesses that drop off food, cards, and even artwork, which is displayed on the walls of the station. Not a single Texan will be surprised to hear that H-E-B is one of their biggest supporters, often providing them with food and covering every bit of counter space during the holidays. “No one needs to pack a lunch during the holidays,” he joked again. It means a lot to the entire crew at Station 46 when people just stop by and say thanks and let them know that they are making an impact. “That’s what makes the difference and makes the job worthwhile: hearing from the community.”
Not every call to the fire station has a happy ending. Captain Suther told me that even when they respond to a call and the person doesn’t make it, their family members will often reach out or show up at the station to let them know they’re grateful for their efforts.
The fire crew at Station 46 has a challenging job. But what I sensed in my short time with these firefighters is that they feel grateful to get to do this work. They love serving Stone Oak, where people go out of their way to show gratitude for everything they do.
“We appreciate the community, too. Everything they do for us. It’s a two-way street here. And we appreciate them.”
“It’s not just a job, it’s something you become. This is who you are. You leave work, you’re still a firefighter. No matter where you go, you’re a firefighter.”
When we can make an actual difference to somebody, that feels good. You can’t make a difference on all of them, but the ones you can, it’s a good feeling.