Mable Byrd was chosen as the Wintergarden Firefighter of the Year at the Wintergarden Convention in Poteet this past Sunday, March 25.
Byrd has been a member of the Natalia Volunteer Fire Department for 23 years, and its Secretary for 15 years. She began volunteering in 1995 because her parents and brother Gilbert were members,
“I watched my mom operate the base station radio to talk to the units that were in route to the call and watched her keep the documentation for the call,” Byrd said. “So that is what interested me first.”
Byrd attended her first class, the dispatcher course at the Texas A&M Fire School, in July 1996. She has CPR and First Aid certifications, as well as NIMS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800; Airlife Landing Zone; Firefighting classes module 1, 2, 3, and 4; and Hazmat Awareness and Intermediate.
As Secretary, Byrd assists NVFD’s training coordinator with training records, takes minutes at the monthly meetings, keeps a roster of members and their attendance, runs reports, and helps prepare yearly audit records.
Additionally, Byrd is the coordinator for the fire prevention program for local schools, dresses as Sparky the Fire Dog, and is the coordinator for the yearly Fill the Boot fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
“Since I am a self-employed house cleaner and a stay-at-home mom, that enables me to be on call whenever someone needs help,” Byrd said.