Johnston Now Honors: Outstanding Firefighter honoree lights spark with the next generation

By Jamie Strickland

More than thirty years of fighting fires and responding to emergencies makes for lots of memories, some you want to hold on to, and some you’d rather forget.

That’s the case for Phillip McDaniel. As chief of Selma’s Fire department, he’s working on passing his knowledge to the next generation of young firefighters. This, and much more, has earned him this year’s Johnston Now Honors Outstanding Firefighter Award.

A lifelong Selma area resident, McDaniel knew from a young age that he wanted to become a firefighter, and he’s been serving as one since he was old enough to volunteer.

“I wanted to get into firefighting ever since I watched ‘Emergency!’ when I was a little boy,” he said. “When I was a teenager, I worked with Joe Moore and Gary House at the Selma IGA, who were both involved heavily in the fire service, and I really got the bug.”

He started out as a volunteer with the Pine Level Fire Department.

“I begged and pleaded to join the fire district and I fell in love with it ever since,” he said. His professional career began when he accepted a position with the Mooresville Fire Department. After working in Wake County for several years, he was ready to be closer to home.

“I’m a Johnston County boy so I wanted to get back home, and I was lucky enough in 2007 to accept a job here as the fire chief,” he said.

In addition to his commitment to helping people, McDaniel said it's the excitement and ever changing nature of the job that keeps him motivated.

“I had the honor of pulling a guy out of a window that probably just had a few seconds to live, and I can replay that every day,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff that you don’t want to remember, dealing with death and things like that, but that’s part of the job. The most memorable thing is seeing my guys go to work. I really do love to see them just perfect their job and see the passion that they have for it that I hope I’ve been able to share a little bit.”

“In a chief position, I really enjoy watching the guys build on something, and build a culture here,” McDaniel said. “It’s evolved a lot since I started, and this town has been good to me and I feel like I’ve been good to it. We’re building a very professional fire department.”

That department consists of 14 full-time career employees and several volunteers and trainees. McDaniel said the support of his family has been essential to his ability to serve the community for all these years.

“I’ve been a fireman since my daughter was born, so she’s never not known it this way. My wife, when we were dating knew that’s where I wanted to go. When I became full time it was a little different, because you’re not there every night. But they’ve just always been very supportive. I’ve always said you can’t be a good fireman without a good family, and they’ve been very good to me and very supportive.”

His family now has grown to include two young grandsons. They enjoy coming up to the fire station and checking out the trucks with their grandfather, and time will tell if they follow in his footsteps.

Thank you to Breeden Law Office for sponsoring this award.