Firefighter Spotlight

Captain, EMT John Schoonmaker

Why did you join the Hendersonville Fire Department?

I was at a point in my life where I was looking for a career,

 not just a job.  The fire department has always been a childhood

dream and the opportunity presented itself and I applied and was hired. 

What do you like most about the Hendersonville Fire Department?

The fire department is a family, so you can say I have

two families.  There are so many similarities; we have disputes

like siblings and we are always challenging each other. 

But when it comes down to it we’re family and we stick together

and perform when duty calls. 

What is the most significant development in your career?

Training and the Information Hotline, (INTERNET).  We are taught as

kids to learn from our mistakes and with the advancement

in training and the ability to access the internet we are able to learn

from tragedies and training techniques of other fire departments

and put them to use in our own community.  Example: a building fire

in another city where loss of life has occurred, we can study the building

construction, fire tactics and codes and use them to train

and to improve our service for the citizens of Hendersonville.

Any community activities?

My wife and I do a lot of work for our church and

we help our neighbors out a lot. 

  What are your future plans?

First and foremost finishing my career is important to me with

dreams of future advancement.  After retirement I plan to spend

time with my wife, family camping, fishing and taking

hunting trips around the USA and abroad. 

  Tell us about your family

 I’ve been married to my wife Donna for 21 years.  I have a stepdaughter,

son in-law and two grandsons, Cody and Blake.

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