A Lauderdale County teen is heading into the next phase of his life well prepared after members of Collinsville Fire & Rescue on Thursday recognized Payton Simanek as its Junior Firefighter of the Year.
Capt. Randy Griffeth said the department chooses a high school senior from its junior firefighter program each year and awards them a $500 scholarship to put toward college expenses. This year, however, was slightly different as the recipient looks to enter an electrician apprenticeship program instead. After talking with Simanek, the department chose to gift him tools he will need to be successful in his chosen career.
“As a department, we couldn’t be more proud of you. The skilled trades are built on discipline, commitment and craftsmanship, the very same qualities we try to instill in our junior firefighters,” he said.
Collinsville Fire and Rescue started its junior firefighter program a little over a year ago with the goal of mentoring youth and teaching them the skills and values they will need to be successful, Fire Chief Tony Grice said. The program takes teens from local schools and introduces them to the training and camaraderie of the volunteer fire service.
“Our goal was simple, to help shape young men and women into people of character, discipline and service,” he said. “We want them to succeed in whatever path they choose, and we want Collinsville Fire and Rescue to be a positive part of that.”
Moving from Nebraska to Mississippi around three years ago with no friends or family in the area, Simanek said he struggled to adjust. Joining the junior firefighter program was a lifeline, he said, and through it he gained the support and skills he was missing.
“I just want to say thank y’all for giving me the opportunity. When I came here, I was struggling both physically and mentally, and y’all just open armed me, and it was like my second family,” he said.
The tools gifted to Simanek are shiny and free of marks now, Griffeth said, but that will soon change. Every scratch, scrape and ding will carry a story, and each story will be about another person helped or another step in Simanek’s journey.
“And when that day comes when you open up the toolbox and you see those worn handles and scratched up tools, we hope that you will remember where they came from. Remember this department. Remember the instructors and firefighters who poured into you. Remember the younger junior firefighters who look up to you,” he said. “Remember that leadership is never about titles. It’s about serving others and remember that you will always have a family here at Collinsville Fire and Rescue.”