Jack Frost, of Niles, is an on call fireman for the Niles City Fire Department. He has volunteered as a firefighter for 37 years, approximately 12 of which have been with the Niles Fire Department. He has also offered his volunteer firefighting services to Howard Township and Niles Township.
For the past five years, Frost has also worked part-time in South Bend with Clay Fire Department as a fire inspector.
In 2016, the Niles Fire Department selected him as the on-call-firefighter of the year.

What do you do as a volunteer firefighter?
Whenever there is a call or need from the city I respond. Usually wherever I am at, whether work or wherever, be it a car accident or sometimes a medical call, heart attack, fire, hazmat, river rescue [I respond]. It may be in the middle of the night, lunchtime, church or wherever. We carry a pager and when the call comes out, we respond.

Can you tell me about why you were selected as volunteer firefighter of the year?
I guess because I made a lot of calls and for training and I have been doing this since the 1980s. I retired from Niles city as a firefighter about six years ago and I still work part-time at Clay Fire Department territory down in Indiana, where I am a fire inspector.

How did you become involved as a volunteer?
It goes way back to about 1978.
There was a big fire out in Howard Township at it is called the Aviax Plant and you could see it for miles. Thirty or 40 fire departments came out to fight the fire.
I sat in a field with a buddy for a while, until the state police chased us off. I knew some people on the fire department in Howard Township and I got involved.
Then I decided I wanted to do it full-time. So I started taking college classes and getting medical training. I tried for a good 10 years before I was hired full-time at Niles city. The whole time that I was working full-time, I was volunteering for other fire departments. So it is just in my blood.

What would you say you enjoy most about it?
The thrill of it and helping people. It is the worst time of their life when we are called. It is good to help out. A lot of people do not like doing it or do not have time to do it. I have time now that I am retired. There is a shortage of volunteer firefighters.

Why would you encourage someone else to get involved as a volunteer firefighter.
I guess it was I feel we were put on earth for. God gave us [the ability] to help people and be there for others.

Do you have a favorite memory from your volunteer work?
As far as volunteer, some of the river rescues that we have gone on, hazmat calls, numerous calls, bringing people back from dying from heart attacks. There is no particular one that stands out above the rest.

Why did you choose this particular cause to dedicate your time to?
I get a rush out of fighting fires and helping people. It is an adrenaline thing and it feels good when [you help].

Do you know a volunteer worthy of recognition? Nominate him or her as the Volunteer of the Week by calling the newsroom at (269) 687-7713, or emailing news@leaderpub.com