In Will Highley’s early days with Auburn’s part-paid, part-volunteer department, there were some challenging moments.
“Sometimes, I was the only firefighter responding to 911 calls,” Highley recalled.
Like the time he arrived alone in a fire engine at an apartment fire, connected a hose to the hydrant and began preparing to enter the burning structure alone.
“I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see a volunteer firefighter had arrived, just in time,” Highley said.
That was the moment Highley decided to apply with the old Auburn Fire Department, today known as the Valley Regional Fire Authority.
Thirty-seven years after his first day on the job, Highley has decided to retire.
“Just a cursory look at the achievements that Will has had in the fire service shows you his commitment to duty,” VRFA Fire Chief Brent Swearingen said in a news release. “He has always been a dedicated and active member of our department, right up to the end of his active service.