![]() Davies is one of four MOFD firefighters who live in the district. "I am the first firefighter in the family," said Davies, who jokingly looks back at a school counselor who told him he would never make anything of himself if he did not go to a four-year college. It made such an impression that he joined the fire service shortly after college.Įngineer and 2002 Campo graduate Chris Davies comes from a family of ranchers who settled in Moraga from Denmark in 1881. "I thought that was such a great burden lifted off of her," Oliver said. As his mother, a registered nurse, was settling the bills, she reached out to the fire district but was surprised that she was not billed for the service. "My grandmother had a stroke, and the Moraga Fire District answered the emergency medical call," Oliver said. Brian Oliver, a Campo graduate, had his first contact with the fire service through a family emergency. Murphy's older sister worked for MOFD, and Mazaika's father worked for the Moraga Fire District. Often the local connection for the fire personnel is through family. "I feel the pressure of expectations, and I don't want to let anybody down." "I thought it would be easy, but really it's more difficult," Williams said. And though he, too, enjoys running into and serving family, friends and classmates, one aspect of that closeness sometimes stresses him. Engineer Tim Williams grew up in Burton Valley and graduated from Campo in 2001. The close connection to friends and family can also present special obstacles. "They'll hope it's not me on the call because they know I'll give them a hard time," said DeWeese, one of 13 MOFD firefighters who graduated from Lamorinda high schools. Running into those old friends and classmates can be a mixed blessing at times, especially when the firefighters respond to a call that features one of their friends having done something stupid. I love running into friends and schoolteachers and classmates." "I felt so proud to speak at my own school," said the 1995 Campo graduate. It's so cool to give back," she said.Įngineer David Mazaika recently delivered his own fire presentation at Mulberry Tree preschool in Moraga. "Now, it feels so good to be doing the same thing those firefighters were doing back then. Julie Murphy, born and raised in Moraga, a Campo graduate and Saint Mary's College graduate as well, recalled how impressed she was when she attended Camino Pablo kindergarten and saw the fire engine and the ambulance pull up to the school, and then watched a presentation by the firefighters. The desire to give back to the community was expressed by many of the firefighters. "We're serving people that we know personally, and I like to think it's nice for them that someone they know is helping them in their time of need." ![]() ![]() I enjoy the service part of the job," said firefighter Mark DeWeese, Lafayette resident and Campolindo High School graduate who coaches junior varsity football at the school. ![]() And to hear the firefighters talk, they could not be more proud of that pedigree. There is a good chance that one of the Moraga-Orinda Fire District firefighters who responds to your emergency call either lives in the district, grew up in the district or graduated from one of the three Lamorinda high schools. MOFD firefighters share their passion for serving their hometownsįrom left, Chris Davies, Brian Oliver and Mark DeWeese: Campolindo-bred, with finishing touches applied by MOFD.
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