Malachi Logan has found a family in the brotherhood of the White Rock Fire Department.
Raised in part by his grandparents, Logan's childhood had its ups and downs. Life's decisions resulted in Logan mainly being on his own.
The fire department's sense of brotherhood is family.
"Definitely," Logan said. "100 percent. I've got these guys. If I don't get out of a burning building with them, I don't leave myself."
Logan has been a volunteer with the department for almost seven years, joining the department when he was just 16. During that time, he's seen his fair share of accidents, flat tires, medical situations and goats jumping off a bluff.
Perhaps the most significant learning experience happened during a simple trip to Walmart. He was waiting to get a Subway sandwich when a bomb threat call came in.
Logan learned a great deal about following certain procedures in response to that threat. "It was a very eventful night."
Volunteering means learning on and off the calls, Logan said. He attends all the training activities and looks for ways to improve his service.
His grandfather volunteered for the fire department at Little Flock, Ark., and Logan was drawn to give back to his community, too.
Helping someone stuck in a ditch -- or helping change a flat tire -- can lift a lot from a neighbor's shoulders, he said.
The husband and father of two toddlers works full-time as a self-employed handyman. That affords him some time to devote to the department.
Logan volunteers about 20 hours a week. He comes to the main fire station on Rains Road at least once a day.
"I love spending time here," he said. "It's definitely relaxing."
His long-term goal is to attain the level of fire chief. He also hopes to gain more experiences through the years to enable him to grow the department and lead others.
For now, he plans to keep on being a faithful servant, helping wherever he can.
"I'll help everyone that I can," he said. "Kindness goes a long way."
Editor's Note: This feature is the first in a series of White Rock volunteer firefighter profiles. The volunteer fire department in Jane responds to emergencies and non-emergency calls within a 90-square mile area.
