“We don’t just respond to emergencies – we prevent them, we teach, we serve. That’s what being part of this community really means.”

Service runs deep in Dzuy Than family. His father served in the South Vietnamese Army, his mother was a wartime nurse, and his grandfather was both a dentist and surgeon. “They all served their communities,” Dzuy says. “That sense of purpose was always part of our family.” After working abroad and briefly trying office life, Dzuy realized he needed something more tangible – something that connected him to people. He found it in firefighting.

For Dzuy, some of the most meaningful moments aren’t dramatic rescues but simple acts of service: helping an elderly resident back into bed, showing a child the fire truck, installing a smoke detector, or checking a car seat. “Those things don’t make the news, but they matter. Every interaction is a chance to make someone safer.”

He sees prevention as an often-overlooked part of firefighting. “If we can keep a fire from happening in the first place, or teach people what to do when it does, that’s just as important as putting one out.” That philosophy is why the new station’s education space means so much to him. “It’s not glamorous, but it’s how we keep people safe – through knowledge, not just response.”

And though he talks about humility, it’s clear his pride for his team and its impact runs deep.