First Responder Spotlight

Firefighter Happy to Find His Way Home to Moore

Grant Rushing feels right at home with the Moore Fire Department. He grew up in Moore and South Oklahoma City and said he knew he wanted to be a firefighter by the time he graduated from Community Christian High School.

“My dad worked out with Darren Sigman, and he came over one day to set us up with a burn permit,” said Rushing. “He talked to me about what the job looks like and everything involved. I went over to do a station tour, and from then on, I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

Rushing says it wasn’t just the job that caught his attention. Much of the appeal had to do with the atmosphere of team and family that he saw in the Moore Fire Department.

“I played sports through high school and growing up,” said Rushing, “So the part of the job where everyone is a team all together was really appealing to me. You train and work together towards a common goal. You essentially live together at the station. That’s a great thing to be a part of.”

After graduating in 2017, Rushing got his EMT certification from OCCC and fire certifications from Eastern Oklahoma Tech Center in Choctaw. Then it was time to start applying. Rushing says Moore was at the top of his list for many reasons. Including one that hits very close to home.

“Our family has a business here that my grandpa started,” said Rushing. “I grew up experiencing a lot of support from the city of Moore and appreciate the people that have supported our family for three generations. So, to get to work in Moore means a lot more to me than I can explain.”

As it turned out, the Moore Fire Department offered Rushing a spot, and he’s been thrilled at how things have gone.

“The citizens of Moore and city leadership treat us well,” said Rushing. “We’ve got great stations and great equipment. The department and our leadership are the best leaders you could hope for.”

While Rushing enjoys the atmosphere of teamwork, including all the training and practice he and his co-workers go through, He says the call to serve others is at the heart of why he truly loves his role as a Moore firefighter.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re called out on a fire or to assist someone with a minor problem,” said Rushing, “We take every call seriously because we understand that it’s a big deal when someone calls 911. Not every emergency is life-or-death, but every emergency is important to that person who called, so we take every call seriously.”