Meet the Fire Department

Sanger Fire Department

Michelle Wiesner Williams

Did you know that we have a famous actress that works for the City of Sanger Fire Department? When I say “Michelle Wiesner Williams,” most people’s minds go to a whole list of movies and television shows such as Pageant Perfect, Skintight, CSI, Walker Texas Ranger, JFK the movie, or one of many other movies and shows. Say the name Michelle around the Sanger Firehouse, and most will tell you that she is just one of the guys. Michelle was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She attended an all-girls private school up through graduation. She then moved to Texas when she was 17 years old. She has more than 30 years of experience in acting. Check out her IMDB page or Google her to see all she has done. So how does one go from being a famous actress to a firefighter? I sat down with her recently and asked her that very question.

“It all started with a need to volunteer and give back,” Michelle told me during our interview. “I had encountered some volunteer firefighters at an event I attended and thought it looked interesting. So, I was in Sanger, walked into the Firehouse, and just asked them what it took to do all this.” She motioned her hands around the station as she talked. From there, she told me it had just happened. “I volunteered a few years, took a couple of EMT positions, and then the full-time opportunity came up in Sanger.” That was 12 years ago, and she is still here and loves it.

I don’t think of myself as a girl. Here in the Fire Department, I am just one of the guys. “

Things are changing, and more and more women are becoming firefighters. Even with this thought in mind, I had to know why someone, especially a woman, would choose to run into a burning building. For Michelle, she says she doesn’t think about it. She has a desire to help. When I inquired about how tough the job is and the physical demands necessary to be a firefighter, she just shrugged her shoulders. She says she never “plays the woman card.” “This is a job where everyone has to pull their weight. We depend on each other to stay safe. I know that when I do a rescue and have to go into dangerous situations, that my team has my back. They need to know that I have theirs as well”. And know it, her team certainly does. Any of them are more than happy to work with Michelle.

I asked Michelle about her acting career again. I wanted to know if she still acts and what ultimately led her to full-time firefighting vs. full-time acting. Michelle told me that she met her husband shortly after getting to Texas. He is also in the business. However, he prefers the EMS side of things vs. the fires. They married and spent the first part of their marriage enjoying each other’s company. She had convinced her husband to move to California so she could pursue a full-time acting career. However, life has a way of happening. Michelle and her husband ultimately decided that a family was more important, so they decided to have a baby. She has no regrets after thirty years of marriage and a wonderful son. He recently graduated and is working for a major airline company and working toward his commercial pilot’s license. She still gets calls and considers the occasional role, and she maintains all of her acting relationships. However, when the call comes over the radio for fire rescue, her eyes light up. She is right where she wants to be. Michelle’s advice for anyone considering becoming a firefighter. “ Volunteer first! Make sure this is something you really want to do. Visit your local firehouse and ask questions.” She says, “This is nothing like what you see on television. This stuff is real. You see real fires and have to go into them. You see people get hurt, and unfortunately, not everyone makes it. That can be hard on a person. For those of us who love it, the positive far outweighs the negative.”