Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009

HORRY COUNTY FIRE RESCUE

Name: Joey O'Rourke

Age: 24

Occupation: Volunteer firefighter at Carolina Forest Fire Station 39, full-time career firefighter for Georgetown County Fire/EMS.

Residence: Berkshire Forest (River Oaks Drive)

Family: girlfriend

Originally from: Cornwall, N.Y.

How long have you lived here? 2½ years

How long have you volunteered for HCFR? More than a year

Total experience as firefighter? Two years

When and why did you decide you wanted to be a firefighter? It's something I've always wanted to do. When I graduated college, I got into volunteering, and I fell in love with it.

What do you like the most about being a firefighter? Everyone is like a family. At the end of every shift, you have a good sense of trying to make someone's life better. ... I've always been a big fan of helping people. It's the small things you do. (He also likes doing fire safety presentations for children.)

Hobbies, interests: N/A

Favorite music or singer/band: Country

Favorite movie: "A Bronx Tale"

What's something people might not know about you? I try to be an open book. I feel like in this business, you have to be ... because you're a public figure. (He did admit that he always has to have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in his ice cream and that the only soda he drinks is diet.)