In Rancho Sahuarita, Rural/Metro Fire Department not only serves as the provider of fire protection and prevention services, but it also serves as a key piece of what makes the community thrive. Through event involvement, community education and more, the department’s team works to stay involved and engaged on a daily basis. Dana Nicol, new Community Liaison for Rural/Metro Fire Department, looks forward to doing just that.
- How long have you worked with Rural/Metro? What brought you to this position?
I have been with Rural/Metro for over 20 years now. I began my career with them back in April of 1996 as an EMT working on our Alternative Transportation Services units. I’ve since worked my way through the ranks of Firefighter/EMT, Firefighter/Paramedic to Captain. Working as a Fire Captain out of Sahuarita Station # 79 has given me first-hand knowledge of all the wonderful events the Town of Sahuarita and Rancho Sahuarita community put forth. As the town grows, so do the events. It is with this growth that we, Rural/Metro, saw the need for a full-time position of Community Liaison. This will ensure a firm point of contact between Rural/Metro Fire Department and the community of which it serves. This is what brought me to my current position as Community Liaison.
- What is your favorite part of the job?
I would say my favorite part of the job is the interaction with all the people. The employees and staff of Rancho Sahuarita, Rancho Resort, Sahuarita Schools, local businesses, Sahuarita Police Department and the Town of Sahuarita have all welcomed me with open arms and have been a tremendous help and resource with all our needs. And I can’t say enough about the townspeople. It has been a blast to meet the community on a much more personal level. It isn’t often that we get to meet the community outside of our 911 emergency calls, so it is great to be able to interact with everyone through a much happier occasion. To have the Fire Department and community get together to support a safe and fun environment is just priceless!
- What are you looking forward to most about the position?
I am most looking forward to enriching the relationship between the firefighters and the community. As stated above, it is rare that we get to engage with the public during much happier times. Through all the events held in Sahuarita, I would like the community to see we have an open door policy and know that we are here for them. Getting to know your firefighters is a fun and welcomed experience. It always puts a huge smile on our faces to see the excitement in the kiddos and adults alike when we pull up to an event. We want the community to know we aren’t just their Fire Department, but neighbor and friend too!
Rural/Metro Fire® is the local provider of fire protection and emergency medical services for Rancho Sahuarita. Rural/Metro operates in areas where there is no public, municipal or city fire department. In these areas, fire service is not covered by taxes. Homeowners must sign up to receive a Rural/Metro Fire membership to ensure they have protection coverage.
A Rural/Metro Fire membership covers a lot more than fire protection including medical emergencies, medical aid at vehicle crashes, water and rope rescues, large animal rescues, pet resuscitation, annual Home Safety Inspection, community health and safety programs and more!