Growing up, Grant Byran never had any interest in the fire service.
However, all that changed when he moved back to Putnam County after college and experienced his family losing a barn in a fire.
"I saw all of these local volunteer firefighters working themselves to the bone, to help my family and me. It left a huge impression on me and pushed me to join the Russellville Volunteer Fire Department. After I got started, I was hooked," Bryan told The Putnam County Post.
Bryan said the enjoyable part of the profession is seeing the difference he makes in his community.
"When you can get done doing your thing on a run, and seeing that your work positively affected someone’s life, you can’t beat it," Bryan said.
As a firefighter at the Greencastle Fire Department, Bryan was aware of the recent resignation of Tony Camp as Clinton Township Fire Chief, but he was hesitant to get involved at first.
"After the resignation of the former chief at Clinton Township Fire, I saw that there was an obvious need for leadership, but to be honest, I had decided that I wouldn’t get involved. I wanted to help, but it is simply a difficult duty to tackle when you have a family, full-time job, family farm, and a part-time job that you’re already committed to," Bryan said.
A conversation with the Executive President of Clinton Township Fire, however, swayed Bryan.
"I was approached by the Executive President of Clinton Township Fire, Lee Price, who I greatly respect, and he helped me to realize that I needed to take on the responsibility of Clinton Township Fire," Bryan admitted.
He comes to the department with a priority of operating as an efficient fire department first and doing so in a manner that makes the community proud.
"I want people to see how the Clinton Township Fire Department conducts itself and wants to be a part of us. We will need community involvement," he said.
Another goal is to provide stability to the department, something he said is "critical."
"There are many factors at hand when I say that our top priority is to operate as an efficient fire department, but stability is absolutely a foundational factor.
Establishing stability includes clearly communicating the department standards and establishing order across all facets. A major part of bringing stability is establishing clear department bylaws that are thorough and relevant," Bryan said.
One thing he won't get caught up on, however, is the title or rank of chief.
"My mindset has always been that I can’t positively impact my organization from my current position. However, if opportunities arise they should be taken.
With taking the Chief position at Clinton Township, I finally realized that I had the resources available that would help me perform in that role as I should. These resources most heavily include my friends and mentors; Lee Price, Darrick Wiatt, Rob Frank, Brian Poole, Mike Poole, and Kevin Thorson," Bryan said.
