Firefighting runs in Lt. Travis Kuemmerleís family. He was inspired to become a firefighter because of his grandfather, also a firefighter. Kuemmerle is going on 11 years with the Falcon Fire Protection District.Before joining the FFPD, he had spent two years with the Cimarron Hills Fire Department.What he likes most about his job is working with different people and helping them in various ways. While the lieutenant said firefighting is fun, he also finds it to be mentally and physically challenging. Out of a 48-hour shift, he said it is sometimes necessary to be awake for 24 to 36 hours. Although the long shifts can be tiring, Kuemmerle said there is nothing he dislikes about his job.During the past 11 years, Kuemmerle said he seen the call volume grow from about 1,300 calls a year to 3,000 calls a year. Although he is currently based at Station 1 and has been there off and on since he started with the department, he was one of the crew that opened Station 4.Kuemmerle’s fire safety tip: Keep flammables away from stoves and turn pot handles toward the back wall to prevent children from overturning the pots.
