Crime & Safety
The Hero Next Door: Danny Keenhold
Meet Danny Keenhold, the fire chief for Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1 and this week's "Hero Next Door" on Nazareth Patch.
Danny Keenhold, 51, has been a firefighter with for the last 35 years -- the fire chief since 1990. In addition to firefighting, Keenhold is the owner of on S. Main Street.
Firefighting runs in the Keenhold family:
- Chris Keenhold, Danny's son, is the fire company's second assistant fire chief.
- Terry Keenhold, Danny's wife, is the fire company's treasurer.
- Troy Keenhold, Danny's brother, is the chaplain for the fire company, and is a member of the fire police.
Danny is a man of few words, but here's what he had to stay about his life as "The Hero Next Door":
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What kind of training have you had so far?
“Hazmat, fire suppression -- there’ s a lot of different training. It’s a lot of hours.”
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What is it like being a firefighter?
“I enjoy working with the guys. I have a good group, [and] I wouldn’t ask them to do something that I wouldn’t do.”
What made you decide to become a firefighter?
“When I was a kid, I would follow the trucks on my bike whenever the fire horns went off. When I was 16, I joined the company.”
How do your loved ones feel about you putting your life in danger?
“There’s always concern. I got [an electric shock] on a call in 2001. That was a scary moment for my family.”
What would you tell people interested in joining Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1?
“It’s a lot of time -- the schooling you have to go through. We don’t let anyone into a burning building without knowing what they’re doing, [and] every situation is different.”