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Crime & Safety

The Hero Next Door: Chris Keenhold

Meet Chris Keenhold, the second assistant fire chief for Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1 and this week's "Hero Next Door" on Nazareth Patch.

Chris Keenhold, 24, is the second assistant fire chief for . He has been with the company for nearly 11 years.

Keenhold, who is engaged and has a 14-month-old son, works at . He is the son of and the nephew of Troy Keenhold, the company's chaplain.

What is the best thing about being a firefighter?

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“Just being able to help others, [something] I was brought up to do.”

What made you decide to become a firefighter?

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“It’s been a big part of my family life.”

What kind of training have you had so far?

“Firefighter survival, red operations, vehicle rescue technician, Firefighter One… I could go on for a while.”

How do your loved ones feel about you putting your life in danger?

“There’s good points and bad points… there’s a lot involved, especially being an officer. But pretty much the whole family is involved with it, so we work it out and understand.”

What would you tell someone interested in joining Vigilance Hose?

“If you’re interested in it, follow through with it… get all the training necessary, and get all you can out of it.”

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