(Photo provided by Kathy Woollard) The Vienna Volunteer Fire Department team in 2024. Some firefighters aren’t pictured and a few are no longer with the department. From left, Ben Kuhlman, Scott Whitlatch, Caitlin Kuhlman, Justin Standley, Tim Woollard, Raymond Myers, Nick Hayek, Dave Thorn, Steve Scholl, Kathy Woollard, Dana Blosser, Biff Brookover, Charlie Ayers and Jon Jarvis.

VIENNA — Vienna Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Tim Woollard will have been a firefighter in the community for 28 years in January.

He’s originally from Parkersburg but moved to Vienna and has resided there for about 45 years.

“This whole area is my hometown, and I don’t want to leave,” Woolard said.

He said he’s incredibly proud of his two children and two stepchildren. Even though they’ve all moved away, Woollard said, Vienna is their home and they always love to come back and visit. His kids and grandkids always enjoy checking out the fire trucks at the station.

“My family were all first responders, and my dad was a city police officer in Parkersburg for 22 years and my brother was a paramedic in Ritchie County for 41 years,” said Woollard. “It’s something that we’ve done as a family to do our part to serve the community.”

Woollard

Woollard said he was very involved in his kids’ lives when they were growing up and if he hadn’t been as busy as he was, he would have joined the fire department earlier.

“This has basically been my second home because when you volunteer, you’re 24/7, and so it becomes like a home-away-from-home,” said Woollard. “We’re always trying to be there for the city.”

Woollard and his fellow volunteer firefighters respond to a wide range of calls – “anything and everything.

“Just this past Saturday night we had a structure fire at 9 p.m.,” he said.

Whether it’s a fire, gas leak, fallen tree or natural disaster, the fire department responds to the scene.

“I work here for the city so I have other jobs like safety inspections for businesses and making sure the fire department equipment is up to par,” Woollard said.

Fire department equipment is constantly being checked and prepared because they never know when they’ll be called to an emergency.

The fire department will also install smoke detectors for those who need assistance. Woollard said they offer the smoke detectors to new homeowners as well.

Woollard said being a firefighter is his way of giving back to the community.

“Saving lives and risking our lives to save people’s property, that’s our goal, so for me being able to help people like that is something that gives me that extra step every day to get up and know I might be needed,” said Woollard.

Woollard said that the fire department is in need of volunteers. There aren’t a lot of requirements, but there’s a substantial amount of time that needs to be dedicated to the job.

To become a volunteer firefighter in Vienna, a person must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED and a driver’s license.

After filling out an application and getting approved, they must take a firefighter training course. Woollard encouraged people to apply and volunteer their time.

“We give a lot of tours here at the station for pre-school and grade school,” said Woollard. “We dress up a fireman in full gear and let the kids see what a fireman looks like because we don’t want them to be scared.”

He said they let the kids check out the fire trucks so they can know firefighters are there to help.

In honor of 9/11, Woollard said that it’s important to remember those impacted by the event and the first responders who showed up to help.