The Volunteer Firefighter

My uncle David lives in a small village in the mountains where the nearest professional fire station is over forty minutes away. Because of the distance, the village has always relied on a team of volunteer firefighters. — choose for gap 1 —1. He says the best moments are when he knows he has made a real difference to someone's life2. The alarm system broke down several years ago and was never repaired3. David considered leaving the village to become a professional firefighter in the city4. Most young people in the village prefer to move to the city for work5. Within minutes, the whole team is dressed in protective gear and ready to go6. They learn how to use equipment, give first aid, and work safely in dangerous conditions7. He has been part of that team for most of his adult life8. He is proud that the tradition of volunteering is being passed on to the next generation He says it is the most important thing he has ever done. David works as a carpenter during the day. When there is an emergency, a loud alarm sounds across the village, and he drops whatever he is doing and runs to the fire station. — choose for gap 2 —1. He says the best moments are when he knows he has made a real difference to someone's life2. The alarm system broke down several years ago and was never repaired3. David considered leaving the village to become a professional firefighter in the city4. Most young people in the village prefer to move to the city for work5. Within minutes, the whole team is dressed in protective gear and ready to go6. They learn how to use equipment, give first aid, and work safely in dangerous conditions7. He has been part of that team for most of his adult life8. He is proud that the tradition of volunteering is being passed on to the next generation Sometimes it is a house fire, and other times it is a car accident on the mountain road or a forest fire in the dry summer months. The training is tough. Volunteers must complete a six-week course before they are allowed to respond to emergencies. — choose for gap 3 —1. He says the best moments are when he knows he has made a real difference to someone's life2. The alarm system broke down several years ago and was never repaired3. David considered leaving the village to become a professional firefighter in the city4. Most young people in the village prefer to move to the city for work5. Within minutes, the whole team is dressed in protective gear and ready to go6. They learn how to use equipment, give first aid, and work safely in dangerous conditions7. He has been part of that team for most of his adult life8. He is proud that the tradition of volunteering is being passed on to the next generation David told me that the physical side was difficult, but the hardest part was learning to stay calm under pressure when people's lives depended on him. Despite the challenges, David finds the work deeply rewarding. — choose for gap 4 —1. He says the best moments are when he knows he has made a real difference to someone's life2. The alarm system broke down several years ago and was never repaired3. David considered leaving the village to become a professional firefighter in the city4. Most young people in the village prefer to move to the city for work5. Within minutes, the whole team is dressed in protective gear and ready to go6. They learn how to use equipment, give first aid, and work safely in dangerous conditions7. He has been part of that team for most of his adult life8. He is proud that the tradition of volunteering is being passed on to the next generation He once rescued a family of four from a burning house in the middle of the night. The father came to David's workshop the following week to thank him in person, and both men cried. David has now been volunteering for fifteen years. Younger people in the village have started joining the team, partly because of his example. — choose for gap 5 —1. He says the best moments are when he knows he has made a real difference to someone's life2. The alarm system broke down several years ago and was never repaired3. David considered leaving the village to become a professional firefighter in the city4. Most young people in the village prefer to move to the city for work5. Within minutes, the whole team is dressed in protective gear and ready to go6. They learn how to use equipment, give first aid, and work safely in dangerous conditions7. He has been part of that team for most of his adult life8. He is proud that the tradition of volunteering is being passed on to the next generation He believes that in a small community, everyone has a responsibility to look after one another, and the fire team is the clearest expression of that belief.