Over 33 years, Wilson has answered almost 10,000 calls
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Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff Before becoming a volunteer firefighter, Roger Lee Wilson was rejected three times.
From being a rambunctious teenager, being blackballed from ever volunteering at the Highlands Fire Department, to eventually having a rule about how many awards he can win as a volunteer firefighter, Capt. Roger Lee Wilson wasrecently nominated for North Carolina Firefighter of the Year.
“After the third time trying to become a volunteer firefighter, they blackballed me and I just gave up,” Wilson said. “They knew me. David Chastain put my name back in that last time and he showed up with a pager for me.”
At the time, Wilson said it was something for him to do to get out of trouble.
“I never really thought about doing it until Dave told me about it,” Wilson said. “I got on and went stupid. I wanted to know more and more. We also had some really good people.”
The main difference between now and 30 years ago, according to Wilson, is the change in equipment.
“We didn’t have near the equipment we have now,” Wilson said. “We worked with nothing and managed to find a way to work. Over time, we started getting this equipment that almost does it for us.”
With 184 certifications spanning back to 1988, Wilson said he just wanted to learn everything he could.
“Why not learn it?” Wilson said. “When I was younger, it was a free trip to Raleigh or Durham, and free meals for a weekend. Then, I got older and wanted to take all of them that I could. Back then, it was maybe about six of them in the entire department that would go to these classes. Me and Wade Henry were the ones that went to every single one.”
For those looking to become a volunteer firefighter, Wilson said to not be as stupid as him.
“Don’t try to make all of the meetings,” Wilson said. “Don’t miss a vacation because you can’t leave until after Wednesday. For me, I joined and that was that. I joined in 1988 and stopped drinking right after that. Then, I could come up here any time that I wanted to. I didn’t have to worry about missing calls. Also, it was just time. I started young and stopped at 30. I found a purpose in this. I went as crazy into volunteer firefighting as I did my partying. Straight in. I didn’t want to miss any calls or any schooling.”
Because of his dedication to the department, Wilson said he has missed a lot of things in his family’s life.
“Because I didn’t want to miss anything going on at the fire department, I missed weddings, funerals, birthday parties and Christmas and everything you’ve ever thought of,” Wilson said. “Last week, for instance, I left my wife three times at dinner to answer calls. We made plans last week and I had to respond to a call in Northeast Georgia, so I called her and all she said was, ‘Ok. Be careful.’ Really and truly, if you get down to it, your wife is in the fire department too. She misses out on a lot of stuff, but now she just goes with her friends. Why wait on me?”
With a lack of volunteers at the department, Wilson said there are several factors that go into it.
“We just aren’t getting a lot of new kids,” Wilson said. “If you look at the price of gas right now, that is definitely a factor. For me, I can leave anytime I want to, because I own a landfill and am my own boss, but a lot of people aren’t.”
Wilson said he never thought he would ever be nominated for NC Firefighter of the Year.
“I never think about awards or anything like that,” Wilson said. “I look back and I’m glad I got them, and I looked up the other night and I have 33 attendance awards.”
With how many people he has saved over the years, fellow volunteer firefighter Davis Picklesimer said there is no number for the impact he has made on the community.
“Everybody sees that new building that’s going up for us, but they need to see the people behind it,” Picklesimer said. “That is what that building is for.”
One rite of passage within the fire department, according to Picklesimer, is when Wilson asks if they can take a ride with him.
“When you are asked to take a ride with him in the rescue or ladder truck, you know this is an important segment in your ‘rites of passage’ in becoming a firefighter,” Picklesimer said.
To Picklesimer, Wilson is regarded as the “guardian of the town.”
“He took on the responsibility to look after this town,” Picklesimer said. “That’s giving up dinner and events. He is that silent guardian that is behind the scenes. If you see him in the middle of the night, it’s because you need him.”
Over his career, Wilson has answered almost 10,000 calls.
The award for NC Firefighter of the Year will be announced in July.
- By Christopher Lugo