Chris Noeldner named top fire instructor, but working with others is the prize for him

Watertown firefighter and instructor Lt. Chris Noeldner has earned the 2022 South Dakota Fire Instructor of the Year Award

It's the first time a Watertown firefighter has received the honor.

Noeldner said he grew up knowing he would someday become a firefighter. He got his first taste in fire safety education while still in grade school.

“That’s how I got started - the fire department came to educate our schools and showed us what we could do for our community,” he said.

Learning how to protect his community from fire was also promoted by his father’s, Chuck Noeldner, career as a firefighter.

“I was down at the station washing and waxing firetrucks as a kid. I knew since I was little I would become a firefighter,” said Noeldner.

Not only was he following the dream, he knew he wanted to help others learn to fight fire in their communities.

In 2001, Noeldner joined Watertown Fire Rescue. State criteria require five years of being a firefighter before an individual can become a state-certified instructor. By 2007, Noeldner had been accepted into the instructor society and began teaching area firefighters the basics.

The first class under his instruction was the Bradley volunteer firefighters. With Watertown being one of only a handful of fire departments in the state with a full-time, paid department, getting acquainted with and training the surrounding volunteer fire departments is vital in keeping the area safe.

“By me teaching the volunteers, I am meeting and knowing their names and faces. I am learning what their capabilities and skills are,” said Noeldner.

Volunteers from the neighboring communities often come to the aid of the Watertown fire department and vice versa. These opportunities to train and develop camaraderie between the departments are important when teamwork can mean life or death.

“The camaraderie in the fire department is amazing. If you go to a firehouse and you have a Maltese cross on your shoulder, no matter where you are from, you are invited in and become a part of their family,” he said.

Volunteer fire departments are made up of individuals who often have full-time careers outside of firefighting. Training is vital when these individuals are not responding to fires on a regular basis.

“When they are training to become firefighters, they have to see live fire. Their first fire is as controlled as we can make it. That way, we never hurt anyone. But there is a lot of mentoring needed when you’ve got 60 to 70 pounds of gear on in a fire and with zero visibility,” Noeldner said. “It’s about building confidence in people. Volunteer firefighters see maybe 10 runs a year. It’s keeping them interested and progressing.”

Changes in building and vehicle construction and materials used in their manufacturing also require increased training. Noeldner said that fires are now burning hotter and faster than ever before.

“Our training goes beyond firefighters. We teach children about fire detectors and escape plans. We teach the importance of leaving your bedroom door closed at night. A shut door is a survivable fire,” he said.

Training also extends to other community entities, including the local wrecker businesses that help with vehicle accidents and farmers so that the fire department has access to disc plows to help with grass fires.

“We see people in their worst day, and we can make it better for them. We can’t always bring them back and we still see many bad things. But it is very rewarding to be able to help people,” said Noeldner.

The burden of being a firefighter can be taxing. Knowing how to safely maneuver through a fire, listen for problems in the fire engine and put out particularly complicated fires is vital training. But mental health is just as important and is one of the things that Noeldner would like to see prioritized and better funded.

“The things we see are graphic,” he said. “Being able to deal with that and having support groups or knowledge of where you can find those support groups is important. We are just starting to get legislative action and money for mental health. I think this issue is even more difficult in a smaller community where you know or are related to the fire victims.”

With roughly 20 years of teaching experience helping keep hundreds of communities safe across South Dakota and the surrounding states, Noeldner has earned the instructor award. Although he is honored by having his name on the plaque, the real prize is in the opportunity to save lives.

“For me, it’s not the award,” he said. “The prouder moment is when I finish a class and now the guys and the gals, those farmers and Walmart workers that are volunteer firefighters, they are in the same family as I am. When they get to put out a fire or cut into a car to rescue a victim, that’s worth more than the plaque to me.”

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Watertown firefighter awarded fire instructor of the year award