WAXHAW, NC – Kevin Fager is a veteran member of the fire service with 20 years under his belt,  17 of which are with the Waxhaw Volunteer Fire Department. He was brought to the area by a need to be closer to family and Waxhaw seemed to have the perfect hometown feel they were looking for. 

Kevin’s call to duty was inspired by the events of 9/11 as well as the birth of his daughter. He said that it was the best way he felt he could help and serve his community. 

Kevin chose Waxhaw FD before he even moved from Colorado. While looking for a home, he walked past the old station that was downtown and immediately felt a connection with the company. He said that when he first started, they were all volunteers who responded either from their homes, directly to the station or to the scene. He said that being so close to the station was crucial yet even when he moved closer to Wesley Chapel’s fire station his heart remained with his Waxhaw family. 

With so much experience in the fire service, Kevin has obtained his Firefighter 1 and 2 certificates as well as his EMT basic. He is also a certified engineer and has the ability to drive all of the apparatus with the exception of the new ladder truck. All this hard work that Kevin puts in requires fuel for the body and he says that his favorite is pizza of any kind. When not driving a fire truck, Kevin likes to ride his Harley-Davidson as much as he can. He also enjoys trying different firearms at the gun range in Waxhaw. When it comes to exercise, Kevin trains two to three times a week in Krav Maga, which he says is not only great cardio but also self-defense. In order to relax and unwind, Kevin says his favorite vacation spot is in the Smoky Mountains. 

When asked if he was not a firefighter, what he would be doing, Kevin responded that he asked himself that same question 20 years ago when he picked firefighting over his career in software. He said that he is doing exactly what he wants to be doing and if he wasn’t still involved with WVFD, he would be retired and on his bike. 

Kevin’s Tip for the community – Be appreciative to first responders. A lot of training is needed just to be able to respond in addition to the level of stress they must endure while running calls. Don’t take them for granted.