The Hero Next Door: Frank Belcastro

Frank Belcastro, 56, has been a firefighter with the for three years. He volunteers alongside his son, , who is a captain with the department.

Belcastro worked as a behind-the-scenes carpenter for home makeover television shows -- a job that kept him on the road for long periods of time.

A few years ago, Belcastro settled back in with his wife of 35 years and made the decision to fulfill a longtime desire to join the fire department.

What kind of training have you had so far?

“Right now I’m an exterior firefighter… I never realized how much time it takes to become a firefighter. It’s a lot of work.”

What is your favorite thing about working with the fire department?

“The camaraderie of the guys working together. But more important than that, the training and the experience is great for your personal life. When something happens, you have the training and the knowledge to know what to do. It’s a great value.”

What made you decide to become a firefighter?

“Usually, it’s the dad that gets the kids involved, but this was the opposite situation. Adam was 15 years old, and I told him I had always wanted to join the fire department. He called me and said, ‘I joined today.’ A couple of years later, I joined too.”

What do your loved ones say about you putting your life at risk?

“All my wife ever says, whether it’s a drill or a call, is ‘Be careful.’ We have a motto, you might have heard it before: ‘You risk a little to save a little, you risk a lot to save a lot.’”

What would you tell someone interested in joining the department?

“It’s an invaluable experience. You learn so much. It does require a lot of your time, but it’s incredibly valuable.

"We work as a team, as a group. There’s a structure, an order, to what we’re doing.

"The feeling you get when you do something of value for someone else, it’s immeasurable.”