Young firefighter feels call of duty to battle blazes

Lots of young boys dream of becoming firemen, but few ever grow up to face the heat.

Bryan Collins is an exception.

Just a few years after excelling in a mentoring program for high school students, Collins is battling headline blazes throughout the region. Yes, he's literally in the heat of it all - and loving every degree.

"I just love this job," he said. "I can't imagine doing anything else."

These days, thanks to the West's already infamous fire season, Collins is rarely ever home. In fact, the Rural-Metro firefighter is in the Tucson area right now. It's his second time there this season.

"I have to be gone in an hour," he said Friday afternoon during a quick interview with The Sun. He had only been back in Yuma five days from a nine-day stint in Durango when he received a last-minute order to pack up and go again.

"I never know where I'll be," Collins said, flashing a trademark grin.

Now, folks can see why little boys would admire the life of a fireman, but what makes adult men who know the job's true dangers take that risk? Don't expect some heroic speech from this 20-year-old humble guy.

"I just like to know that I've helped save someone's home," he said. "It's just a good feeling knowing that you're doing something good."

Collins even shrugs off the danger part - to a degree.

"It's a pretty dangerous job, but if you've been trained well like we have, there's much less chance of any problems."

Obviously safety is a mighty issue when you're trying to snuff out blazes several stories high, but lay people still might not understand just how much that aspect of the job is stressed.

"Safety is everything you do," Collins said. "I want to go home alive, not in that casket."

Speaking of home, that brings up probably the only thing the young man dislikes about his job.

"Leaving family and friends back home is really hard."

And yes, they sometimes think he's crazy.

"But I have so much support and encouragement from them," Collins said.

Interestingly, although his life is dedicated to squelching fire, he doesn't hold any poetic hatred for the phenomena.

"It's just a natural occurrence," he said. "Mother Nature is just going through a cycle."

But mention the fires that have allegedly been started on purpose by fire and forest professionals and watch that trademark grin disappear.

"I just can't understand how someone in the (firefighting) community could intentionally start a fire. It's just mind-numbing to me," he said. "My heart truly goes out to everyone whose home was lost in the Arizona fires."

Collins said it's been amazing for him to see just how inspiring and strong the region's fire victims have been. Even in the face of great loss, he described most of these folks as keeping an outlook that's pretty optimistic - and often generous.

"Fire victims would often come up to give us everything from shampoo to whatever," he said. 'They would even say 'Hey, my house burned, but I hope you can save someone elses.''

It's that kind of shining moment that makes his job all the more rewarding.

"That kind of strength is hard to believe," he said, "but it's sure great to see."

Darin Fenger can be reached at dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.