Gaston Rural Fire District

Megan Reynolds dreamed of a career in law enforcement.

But her plans began to change in 2007 when she signed up for a fire science class at Gaston High School. Soon she followed in the footsteps of older brothers Darren and Tyler and became a Gaston Fire volunteer.

“I loved it,” Megan says of her experience with Gaston Fire. She loved it so much that when she graduated in 2009, she started making the long drive to Salem and back every day in pursuit of her paramedic degree at Chemeketa College.

When she's not in school, Megan works hard tending the cows and pigs on the family farm. So she could be excused if on weekends she wanted to join other college students out partying to unwind. Instead, at 1 a.m. this past Saturday Megan was standing in the cold drizzle at a rollover accident in downtown Gaston.

Megan and the other volunteers then returned to the station while police searched for the driver of the car, who had left the scene. At 2 a.m., the crew still was sitting in the chilly station just in case they were needed when the driver was located.

Yet a broad smile on Megan's face belied the boredom of the wait. “I don't know, I just love this,” she said. “I tell all my friends to find a volunteer station and join!”