True Volunteers
Aids to Navigation Team South Padre Island, located deep in southeastern Texas, proudly honors three of its own who selflessly dedicate their time as volunteer firefighters: Petty Officer 3rd Class Fabian Gonzalez, Fireman Lance Strand and Seaman Benjamin Dennard. Gonzalez, Strand and Dennard, all picutred in the above photo, are volunteer firefighters with the Laguna Vista Fire Department. Not only do they work 24 hours a day for the Coast Guard, but on their off time they are on call for the fire department.
Gonzalez, Strand and Dennard are qualified crewmen on all ANT South Padre Island platforms. Strand is a qualified engineer and Gonzalez is a qualified coxswain. Dennard is taking classes to become an emergency medical technician for the fire department which also contributes to the Coast Guard.
Every Tuesday night they have training with the Laguna Vista Fire Department where they will become Texas state certified firefighters. Although they are not yet state certified, they have enough training to work under a state certified firefighter. Strand has been to approximately 40 emergency calls, Gonzalez has been to over 70 and Dennard has been to more than 100 emergency calls to assist residents of Laguna Vista, Laguna Heights and Port Isabel.
“I joined the Laguna Vista Fire Department because I wanted to help in the community plus I get to put red and blue lights on my car,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has been stationed with ANT South Padre Island for almost two years and has been a volunteer with the fire department for almost one year. Both Strand and Dennard have been with ANT South Padre Island and fire department for one year.
“I always knew I wanted to help save lives. The Coast Guard has provided me the opportunity to do both; be a Guardian and a firefighter and now I will have my EMT certification too,” said Dennard.
On any given day, the call may come alerting volunteer firefighters that their assistance is needed. Just as with the Coast Guard, response time is of the essence: the quicker the response time, the better chance of successfully mitigating the situation.
On the evening of Nov. 29, 2010, Gonzalez, Strand and Dennard responded to a raging house fire that put their expert firefighting training to the ultimate test.
It was approximately 7 p.m., Nov. 29, and a two-story home quickly caught fire becoming fully engulfed in flames within minutes. Coast Guardsmen Gonzalez, Strand and Dennard were notified and responded to the fire, which lasted for three hours.
Gonzalez and Lance were the first to arrive on scene and took control of a fire hose. They entered the house via the front door and proceeded to combat the fire in the living room and kitchen. They were only in the house for 20 minutes when the roof started to collapse. The pair evacuated the house and continued continue fighting the fire from outside. Dennard, along with another firefighter, worked to extinguish the fire from the back of the house.
“I have been to many calls, but it was not until this last fire that I truly understood what it meant to be a firefighter. This fire was huge and the whole house became engulfed in flames so fast,” said Gonzalez.
“That house fire was the biggest structure fire I have been to. I was really worried about the houses next to it catching fire. They didn’t and I am glad no one was hurt,” said Strand.
Volunteering comes second nature to many Coast Guardsmen. Some men and women who chose the Coast Guard as a career are giving by nature; others develop the trait after experiencing the fulfillment volunteering brings to one’s life. Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Gonzales, officer-in-charge of ANT South Padre Island supports unit members who want to go out into the community and volunteer their time and energy toward a given cause.
“Their volunteer services provide the community a greater ability to respond to emergency situation while facing the potential dangers of placing themselves in harm’s way to provide assistance to others,” said Gonzales. “Their off-duty contributions allow Coast Guard members the opportunity to be highly visible within their community, thus creating a great relationship between the local community and the Coast Guard,” he said.
Additionally, Gonzalez, Strand and Dennard are involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Madre, where they coast basketball and other community activities.
Story contribution by Petty Officer 2nd Class Renee C. Aiello and Seaman Lauren Laughlin
Photograph by Seaman Lauren Laughlin
Tags: ANT South Padre Island, ANT SPI, firefighter, PA2 Renee C. Aiello, Seaman Lauren Laughlin, volunteer
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