Four years ago, Christian Miller was on the first truck arriving at the scene of a blazing shop fire, not far from his house. “I was still a junior firefighter, and it was early morning,” he describes. Miller, then just age 17, had been on fires before, but this one was different. it was bigger than the others—and on this call, he had a lot of responsibility. 

His first glance at the mammoth blaze etched a lingering memory in his teenage mind. “There was just a huge glow,” he recounts. As the truck arrived at the scene, Miller got the supply hose off the back of the rig and moved fast, laying the supply line in. During a fire, supplying water to where it’s needed is crucial. After all, a whole ocean of water can’t extinguish a fire unless it’s been transported directly to the flames—and quickly. 

“It was the first fire that I did something that was really important,” Miller explains. But that morning, the young firefighter wasn’t thinking about that. “You stop thinking and you just do,” he states. “And it’s really weird, because afterwards you look back, and you try to figure out what made you do that.” 

The answer? Training. By the age of 17, Miller had already been part of the Fire Company for three years. During that time he had engaged in basic training drills, such as securing his air pack to his body, and ‘masking up’ his face—over and again. Such repetitive tasks would lay the foundation for the young firefighter to engage increasingly more complex training; and importantly, learn how to make smart, rapid-fire decisions in the throes of an emergency. 

It’s a testament to his dedication and skillful service that Second Lieutenant Christian Miller has been selected as Firefighter of the Year. 

At just age 21, he’s already a 7-year veteran of Hand-in-Hand Fire Company—with a relationship that stretches back even further back, to childhood. “Growing up, it was part of life,” he says of the Fire Company. Christian’s father was a firefighter, and so are his three brothers. Older brother Arlan was the first sibling to join Hand-in-Hand Fire Company, inspiring Christian to sign up at age 14. The youngest Miller is currently 15 years old, and has recently joined his brothers at the station.

Working alongside family is a highlight of Miller’s service. So is that indelible feeling of being immersed in one’s community—and knowing you are providing a critical service to your friends and neighbors. “I am very grateful for the award, and it has meant a lot,” he says of being awarded Firefighter of the Year. 

The selection is made via a peer-nominated process, and typical of those with a heroic temperament, Miller is modest about his contributions. “It’s something that needs to be done,” Miller states simply when asked why he volunteers. “Someone needs to show up and help these people.” Like he did that morning four years ago when, adrenaline coursing through his 17-year-old system, he quickly climbed aboard the rig and joined his fellow firefighters racing to a shop fire. “That call,” the firefighter recounts, “was one I won’t forget for a long time.”