Michael Marler believes in jumping into a leadership role.
"If you want something to change, change it," he said.
The White Rock firefighter has served the department for eight years. He came on board when he was just 17 years old, motivated to leap in, learn and improve the department.
His calling came when a neighbor, who was burning trash, lost control of a box that blew over into a field. That prompted a fire. The fire department came out, but Marler believes the guys recruited to operate the truck hadn't been properly trained.
"The guys couldn't run the truck," he said.
The fire, which was in a small field, quickly surrounded a propane tank. The propane valve was getting ready to blow but no one seemed to know what to do. Things were chaotic.
"There has to be something that can be done," he thought.
Marler's uncle happened to be driving by the scene and lent a hand. The fire was extinguished and Marler's uncle, who was a member of the Benton County Search and Rescue Team, praised him for a good job.
Marler didn't feel he did much, helping put out the fire with a garden hose and a rake.
Still, he was motivated to volunteer, hoping to make a difference and learn emergency response. Today's department is extremely focused on proper training, as the bar has been set for earning Firefighter I and II certifications, he said.
"What we do with what we've got is amazing," he said.
The young firefighter has overcome several health challenges to become the strong and fit person he is today.
The former Rogers, Ark., resident moved to the area when he was just 7. At the time, he had a weakend immune system and was sick a great deal of the time. His mother home-schooled him, so he wouldn't get behind in his schoolwork.
But Arkansas homeschooling regulations were strict then, and his family moved to the White Rock area so the process could be much easier.
By the time he was a junior, he enrolled at the McDonald County High School. During his first year, he caught every imaginable sickness, he said.
Then, he turned the corner and his immune system dramatically improved. Today, he no longer suffers from a weakened immune system and is inspired to help others.
He's always challenging the status quo, seeing what improvements can be made.
Things can be accomplished by using "redneck ingenuity," he said, laughing.
So, when the mid-February snowstorm kept many people housebound, Marler and Sim's Corner Pastor Monty Muehlebach teamed up with an idea to deliver Farmers to Families boxes of food to residents.
"I thought we could deliver food when people needed it," he said.
With the go-ahead from Fire Chief Jason Bowman, several volunteer firefighters picked up the food from Sim's Corner and delivered food to housebound White Rock and Jane residents.
These days, Marler is spending any extra time he has launching his welding business. It's hard for him to estimate how many hours he works each week because he's scrambling as numerous people keep calling him.
He plans to continue volunteering as his business grows. If the White Rock Fire Department expands and eventually hires firefighters, that avenue could work out, too.
"If my business goes great, I'll still stay a volunteer ... or this could be a full-time job," he said, smiling.
Editor's Note: This feature is part of 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.