The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District (SHFAD) swore-in a new entry level firefighter during their monthly board meeting, June 18. This new addition, however, is not new to Sweet Home.
Casey Topp was the man sworn in. Topp actually grew up here and graduated from Sweet Home High School. He also already has had experience in the district.
“We called them interns back then,” Topp said. “[I was] basically a part-timer for about a year and a half.”
Topp started in the district after graduating. It was 2007 when he started as a resident volunteer before moving into the aforementioned intern position. He then left Sweet Home to work for Sears in its automotive department. Following that, he began working for Linn Gear in Lebanon while coaching junior high football.
According to Topp, this was about the time he began talking with Nick Tyler, who at the time was with the Lebanon Fire District when he told Topp to volunteer and try to get hired again. He was then hired at LFD.
Topp then learned of an open position in the Sweet Home district, and knew it was where he wanted to be.
“Since I had been with Sweet Home in the past, I figured it would be a good opportunity to come back with all my old friends and come back to my community,” Topp explained. “It’s nice to be back with a lot of people that I kind of grew up around, like Randy (Whitfield); he’s been my coach about as long as I can remember.”
Topp then explained his other ties in the district, mentioning previous work experience with Tyler, who is now fire chief for SHFAD, and touching on his relationships with the different battalion chiefs in the district.
“So it’s just nice, it feels good to be back where I started and I’m excited for the future,” Topp said.
Topp attended the most recent fire board meeting with his wife of 13 years and two kids. He will be on “A Shift” come July 1.