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JBLM spouse wins Volunteer Firefighter of the Year

Ashley Jeanes fights fires, wins award

Bald Hills Fire Dept. Chief Mark Gregory presents Ashley Jeanes with the Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award. Photo courtesy of Bald Hills Fire Department

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Firefighter Ashley Jeanes, 33, was recently named the 2013 Volunteer Firefighter of the Year for her substantial efforts and contributions to the Bald Hills Fire Dept. in Yelm.

As if that wasn't accomplishment enough, Jeanes is also a mother to three children under the age of 10, a college student and an Army spouse who resides on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

She decided to pursue firefighting after an instructor, who later became her mentor, at the local community college encouraged her to apply to the academy. She was accepted and graduated from the Butte College Fire Academy in 2007 with her Firefighter and EMT certifications among several others.

Jeanes joined the department in June 2012 and within five months she had met her probationary requirements. Then, that very December, her husband, Staff Sgt. Sean Jeanes, left for a yearlong deployment and she realized she could put that time to good use. Throughout 2013 Jeanes completed numerous certifications and achieved Firefighter I, Hazmat Awareness level, Hazmat Operations level certification, Firefighter II certification, as well as Fire Instructor I.

"It was an expensive endeavor, but it is what I love and ever since I graduated from the academy my desire never burned out," she explained. "It is very gratifying and you get to help people, but it also allows me to be my best because I feel like it's what was I was born to do."

That endeavor, along with her tenacity, is exactly why she was chosen as the best volunteer in the department and why she continues to study the art of battling flames.

The brave spouse is just one class away from completing her bachelor's degree in Fire Science at Columbia Southern University. And of course she's already looking into masters programs because, as she put it, "I want to be chief some day!"

"You have to act a certain way as a mother, as a wife, as a military spouse ... but when I am firefighting it is the real me and it rejuvenates my soul. I always feel better when I am done with my work there," Jeanes stated.

That work includes training every Tuesday night and a shift every third Sunday since volunteer firefighters must put in a minimum of 24 hours per month. Truth be told, the volunteer firefighters are trained at the same level as those who are paid, but the hours are more flexible.

"Most of the calls we get are for EMS, but if it's in our district and we get a call, I can fight it," she said proudly.

And how does her family feel about this career path?

"I think my husband isn't worried about me because he knows how much we train," she said. "He is extremely supportive. I mean for Valentine's Day I got a new head lamp instead of chocolate or flowers!"

Her kids also love the department. They are frequent visitors and riders on the truck since the department is very family friendly. For instance, they were like family to Jeanes and the kids during her husband's deployment.

"I should thank others for needing the fire department so I can be able to volunteer because I love it so much," Jeanes joked.

Despite her passion, however, she doesn't plan on taking a paid job with any department as long as her husband is in the military because she doesn't want a PCS to leave her fellow firefighters struggling to fill her spot.

"My dream is to inspire the next generation of firefighters and make them want to learn and do their jobs well," she concluded. 

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