W
hen his great uncle, Charles Casaday, asked Dadeville native Chris Nelson to help build a local volunteer fire department in the ’80s, Nelson had no idea he’d fall in love with the job and still be active 38 years later. As the assistant chief of Union Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Nelson has worn many hats over the years but is the only founding member still on the squad. “When I first started out, I never dreamed I’d still be doing this,” said Nelson. “But helping people in the community who are in need is my love and my passion.” Communications, equipment and techniques have changed over his three decades working as a firefighter and EMT. “When we started out, 911 didn’t exist,” he explained. “So my great uncle’s wife, Agness, was instrumental in the department. When the sheriff ’s office received a call, someone there would call her. She had a list of all the firefighters and would just start working her way down and calling each one. Whoever could help, responded to the call.” Casaday typically was the one wo took the only truck they had to the call location, and others met him there. The loaner truck from the forestry department was stored in a pole barn they built at what is now Station 1. When 911 came into existence, things changed. “We were still paged out by the sheriff ’s office, but now we get a call on our cell phones; through a 911 app; or through radios and alpha numeric pagers,” said Nelson. “There are three different ways we receive communications.” While about two-thirds of Union VFD’s calls are fire and EMS-related, they do get calls for a couple of structure fire disasters each year. Surrounding departments usually respond to those as well, including Reeltown, Camp Hill and Red Hill. “We have a good working relationship with all the surrounding fire departments, and we go assist them when they need us,” said Nelson. The Union VFD, considered the largest department in Tallapoosa County for the road miles covered and number of structures, received 201 calls in total in 2019. Station 2 is located in the Obed community, off Prospect Road, and Union Fire and Rescue recently bought additional property to construct a third station, as the community continues to grow. Currently, the department has about 26 members, including those who simply volunteer and assist where needed, even if they do not respond to fires.
10 Lake Martin Living
Decades of A Union VFD founder serves his community for 38 years
“We have a mix of people – some retired; some work fulltime; some work night shifts – and we have many women firefighters, as well,” said Nelson. Even though firefighters are volunteers, he said, members on the team prepare extensively and undergo the same training as paid firefighters. “The general public doesn’t really know all that we do,” said Nelson. “And it’s more than they think.” There are different levels of certification, and the
