Volunteers in Action: Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department

Fire Chief Bryan Watt leads a crew that runs toward the flames when others run away.

Watt is a third-generation volunteer firefighter. Over the past 22 years, firefighting has become his second full-time job, alongside his work in construction and raising a toddler who already loves fire trucks!

What keeps him going? Bryan doesn’t hesitate.“It’s the younger generation. Helping them grow, in firefighting and in life. Seeing them find their purpose, that’s what fuels me.” — Fire Chief Bryan Watt, Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department

👨‍🚒 Who Volunteers to Fight Fires?

They come from all walks of life: students, parents, tradespeople, and retirees. Some are only 14 years old when they start in the department’s junior program.

“Volunteer firefighters give thousands of hours of training and service for no pay — and risk their lives doing it. That’s a rare kind of dedication.” — Fire Chief Bryan Watt

Training is intense. Basic firefighter certification requires at least 170 hours of academy work, and that’s just the beginning. Yet these volunteers keep answering the call, night and day.

🎪 More Than a Firehouse

Forest Grove volunteers respond to it all: house fires, vehicle crashes, medical emergencies, and more.

But their service goes far beyond 911 calls.

They visit local schools, teach fire safety, and host events for the neighborhood. Their newest addition? A 30-foot inflatable house! That’s where they teach kids how to exit a burning building

Twice a year, they trade fire suits for aprons and flip pancakes for 400+ guests at a community breakfast. This fall, they’re throwing a carnival open to everyone.

And sometimes, the impact goes deeper than anyone can see.

🤝 A Life Transformed

One story still stays with Chief Watt.

A quiet teenager from a troubled background felt a calling to join the junior firefighter program. His father had been killed when he was a baby. He was smart, but lacked direction. The department became his anchor.

Bryan coached him along. The teen earned his fire academy certificate, graduated from technical school, and kept coming back to the station with questions, hungry to learn. He told Watt, “I never had anyone to look up to. You are that person for me.’”

“Years after he left the department, the connection we built stayed with him, and with me too. As much as I helped him, he helped me. He made me a better person. That’s why I keep going.” — Fire Chief Bryan Watt

🛡 Heroes Among Us

Pennsylvania has more volunteer firefighters than any other state. But the numbers are falling.

In the 1970s, there were 300,000. Today, just 38,000 remain.

Most people don’t even know this kind of service still exists.

Chief Watt wants to change that.

“These men and women drop everything to help. They risk their lives for complete strangers. They give so much and ask for nothing. They carry a light inside them — a deep compassion that burns for serving others.” — Fire Chief Bryan Watt

Thank you to the volunteers who show up, suit up, and serve — no matter the cost.

Check out their story here.