Future firefighters at play

Hayes and Tate Matty and Oliver and Warner Bohnet-Knue clambered on fire trucks while firefighters and EMTs served spaghetti last Saturday at the McLean Road headquarters of all-volunteer Skagit County Fire District 2. Firefighters and volunteers shopped, cooked, served and cleaned up after hundreds of diners during the annual Spaghetti Feed, whose proceeds support the district's work.

Every Thursday night at 6:30 pm these brave men and women practice deploying hoses, operating pumps and simulating situations – like accidents involving large farm equipment – they hope never to encounter.

"We are so lucky to have such a dedicated group of volunteer firefighters who give up their time with family and loved ones to help our community," said the McLean Firefighters Association Facebook page on Sept. 8, when members responded to 10 calls in just one day. "We are here when you need us!"

– Text by Anne Basye. Photo courtesy of Tara Cunningham, mom of Hayes and Tate