On May 26 around 8:40 p.m., Wellington City Fire Department were dispatched to a house fire. Upon arrival, firefighters Cody Austin, Brandi Davis, Anthony Powell and Will Ehler were able to quickly access the situation and confirm that the fire had been put out by the homeowners.
However, it was apparent that their job wasn’t quite done, as they were met with an eager, smiling, little 4-year-old, daughter of Cynthia Rampa.
Rampa stated that firefighters Austin and Davis spent approximately an hour with her daughter, showing her the inside of the firetruck and all of the flashing lights. They both spoke to her about fire safety and showed her how firefighters use their truck to extinguish fires. Austin and Davis realized that they were all out of Jr. firefighter badges and invited Rampa and her daughter to visit the fire station that following Tuesday to make sure she got her badge.
Rampa and her soon to be Jr. Firefighter were met by Fire Chief Matt Perea, Assistant Chief Ed Chavez, firefighter Davis, Austin and Powell who had been anticipating their visit. However, the young girl got much more than just a Jr. firefighter badge.
Rampa stated that Perea and Davis then took her daughter to get some candy and to pick out a stuffed animal. Once she found the one she liked, she got to try on one of their jackets and climb up into the fire truck to honk the horn and turn on the lights.
“The joy it brings to our station to have kids come and visit is what makes this job worth it,” as stated on Wellington City Fire Department’s Facebook page.
Rampa was grateful for their extraordinary visit.
“They went out of their way just to see my daughter happy. I think a lot of us forget to have faith in our community and it’s moments like this that just reminded me how amazing our community is! My daughter currently wants to be a firefighter. They did more than they know. My daughter has seen 2 fire trucks since Tuesday and she cheered them on she jumped and screamed and waved and said, ‘Momma, there goes my friends with her Jr. badge on. She said, ‘I go help like they help me, huh Momma?'”
Rampa explained, “‘Yes, baby. That’s right! They are your friends and they will always help you.’ Which helped have the open conversation about if she’s in trouble and I’m not around. I owe such a big thank you to them!”
Rampa’s young daughter not only received her Jr. firefighter badge, but also an experience of a lifetime, thanks to the firefighters of the Wellington City Fire Department.
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- Photos Courtesy of Cynthia Rampa
