For Steven Gallaher, being a firefighter is all about being there in a neighbor's time of need.
“There's always somebody that needs help,” Gallaher said. “It might not necessarily be an emergency to everyone, but it's an emergency for that person. It's always good to be there for them at that time.”
Last month, Gallaher, 44, was elected chief of Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, where he has been volunteering for nearly 25 years. He has served in several roles with Aetna including assistant chief and deputy chief, but this is his first two-year term as chief.
He succeeds A.J. Schall, who is stepping back to a deputy chief role after several years leading the department.
“It was the next step, and I had some ideas to try to help the department grow into the future,” Gallaher said of his decision to run for chief. “There's a lot of changes coming up.”