Mayor John Huffman Spends Time with Local Volunteers Serving Southlake’s First Responders

This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with members of the Fire Rehab Team about their essential volunteer work that has spanned close to two decades.

In an emergency, firefighters are often the first to show up. They wake up each day to serve their community while putting their lives on the line, but they need support too. Volunteers Paul Simon and Kristine Kemp show how the Southlake Fire Rehab Team dedicates itself to helping some of our bravest as they are on the scene and connecting the community in times of need.

The pair relayed that when Southlake Firefighters are dispatched to a call for an extended period, the Fire Rehab Team provides support services to recoup, recharge, and get back to what they do best – saving lives!

The team provides water, refreshments, cooling towels, and much more. “Fire Rehab’s been around for a long time now. For nearly 20 years, we’ve been providing services for the department and expanding as we go along. I believe we started with a pickup truck and a trailer, and then we moved along to get a Fire Rehab vehicle…,” said Simon.

The benefits of the team go far beyond just helping Southlake Fire, though. Kemp said, “I think for me, probably the biggest personal impact has been being on the ground when we’ve got families in our community who go through an unbelievable tragedy. Many families have fled with literally the clothes on their backs, and they have nothing. And so, because I’ve been a Fire Rehab Volunteer, I’ve connected the community with those needs….”

Mayor Huffman commented that the work of these volunteers pours into the community and makes Southlake one of a kind. Many volunteers get involved through work at the Southlake Citizens Academy, which occurs yearly. For more information about volunteering with the Department of Public Safety, visit their volunteer page here.

To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.