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McNeill relishes 'the brotherhood'

Doug Flanagan/Post-Register
Dec. 31, 2009

Nigel McNeill will start work Monday as Grant County Fire District No. 3’s newest firefighter.

One night late last year, Nigel McNeill was on the job as a volunteer firefighter at Grant County Fire District No. 3’s Crescent Bar location when he and lieutenant Brandon Hooper received a call.

A vehicle had partially submerged itself in the Columbia River, and a man was trapped inside.

“I got there and I couldn’t see very well,” McNeill said. “I stood on the boat launch and saw headlights under water.”

McNeill crawled into the river and climbed on top of the roof of the vehicle. The man’s head was above water, but he was sinking fast. McNeill knew Hooper had a truck that was capable of pulling the man and the vehicle out of the water, and told his partner to retrieve it. Hooper, however, refused to go, not wanting to leave McNeill to fend for himself.

At that point, though, McNeill looked across the island’s bridge and saw a command rig, ambulances and other rescue vehicles chugging down the road and breathed a sigh of relief.

“At that point I knew everything would be OK because qualified people were on the scene,” he said. “We did end up getting Brandon’s truck, and we pulled that car right out of there. Everybody walked away cold, but fine.

“But what sticks out to me about that was what Brandon did. He told me that he wasn’t going to leave me by myself, and that’d we’d figure it out together. That’s what this is all about for me, the brotherhood. We look out for each other.”

The fact that McNeill relishes the opportunity to serve the public and make the community he’s working in a better place shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Both of his grandfathers served in the military, and his father spent 27 years working in law enforcement.

From a young age, McNeill knew he didn’t want to do exactly what his father did, but he knew he wanted to serve in some capacity.

“Growing up, I was always playing with fire trucks,” he said with a laugh.

McNeill has been a volunteer since 2005 (serving as a Crescent Bar resident for three of those years), but starting next week he’ll become the district’s newest full-time firefighter. The district received a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant earlier this year that allowed it to expand its duty roster, and McNeill was recently chosen over several other candidates for the position.

“I’ve been chasing this a long time,” he said. “I’ve worked hard and had tons of support. Finally I’m achieving my goal. Now I guess I’ll have to set some new ones. When I got the call, I felt relief. I’m extremely excited. This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been chasing this lifelong goal, I finally got it and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

McNeill said he wasn’t sure that he’d get the job, but he knew that he was qualified.

“As a volunteer I tried to be as active as possible,” he said. “When I heard about the opening, I knew right away I’d be applying. I had a chance to move to a different department, but I didn’t want to do that because hands down this is where I wanted to be. Every single person there is unique and brings something special to the table. I’ve learned something from everybody.”

Fire chief Don Fortier said McNeill will be an ideal fit.

“Nigel has been an extremely active volunteer for the fire district,” Fortier said. “He always has a very positive attitude and a genuine passion for this type of work. He has worked hard to achieve his certifications and has great skills. He comes to every emergency to help others. We are all looking forward to working with him.”

Over the past few years McNeill been a busy man. In addition to working for GCFD No. 3, he has worked for Grant County Fire District No. 5, Quincy Valley Medical Center as an emergency medical technician and Mid-Columbia Ambulance.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t get a day off for the whole summer,” he said. “It will be different working just one job. I’ll have some time for some other things. My kids (Jordyn, 9, and Madisyn, 7) are a ton of fun. I enjoy being a dad. My kids are excited to go out on a call with their dad on the fire truck. My girlfriend, Amy Porter, has been a huge part of this, too.”

McNeill knows the courage and dedication he shows as a firefighter is appreciated by the people he serves. That gratitude keeps him motivated, focused and rewarded.

“If something happened to my or my family, I’d sure want somebody to show up,” he said. “If I’m at Akins shopping, and somebody comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, you helped me out. Thank you,’ that’s when I get paid. It’s not really about the money. It’s about helping to comfort somebody on possibly the worst day of his life. That’s why I do this.”