Future Career in Firefighting

“It makes me feel good to make other people feel good,” Joshua Fanning talks about why he wants to be a Firefighter

Seth Goupil, Staff Writer

Apr 2, 2025

Dressed in his gear, Joshua Fanning prepared to respond to a call at Los Pinos. As a firefighter you always have to be prepared for what is to come. Photo courtesy of Joshua Fanning

Joshua Fanning, a senior at DHS, has decided to pursue a career as a firefighter because he wants to help people and does not like seeing others in a bad situation.

Fanning is currently serving as a volunteer firefighter and has been working as a volunteer since the end of his freshman year of high school. After going to multiple stations, Fanning was able to volunteer at Los Pinos in Ignacio. When he was first looking at becoming a firefighter he thought that he would need schooling, but once he started talking to the Los Pinos station, he found out that all he needed was an interview to get on. As a volunteer, Fanning is doing the same thing as people doing it for a job so he gets the same training and the same certifications making him thoroughly prepared to be a firefighter after high school.

Fanning talks about his experience as a volunteer firefighter and how at the start of volunteering you just ride along and see what firefighters do. But, after a couple months or potentially up to a year, you will be able to start getting more hands-on experience. Fanning has been a volunteer for around two and a half years and has been doing structure fires and wildfires. “I’ve been really starting to like wildand, this summer I’ll be joining our Wildland Team and hopefully I can get deployed nationally,” said Fanning. Fanning has been leaning into wildland, but he also said that he was fully involved in fighting a structure fire two days before becoming a junior and that he really liked that too.

Fanning gives advice to those who are looking at being a volunteer firefighter. “You get to run all sorts of calls and you get great experience. You don’t have to get through a super hard academy, so it’s a really easy process,” shares Fanning. Additionally, he talked about the work environment at Los Pinos and how he really likes it there, saying that everyone is friendly and they will help with anything.

For more information about becoming a volunteer firefighter you can go to the Los Pinos website which has all their contact information.