On Dec. 8, 2021, Lukas Borntrager with Columbus Fire and Rescue was in a car accident where he was hit head-on by an 18-wheeler.
Thankfully, Borntrager walked away from the accident with only a hair-line fracture to one of his tibia. But after the accident, Borntrager said he received an overwhelming amount of support from his fellow firefighters, including calls, texts and check-ins that reminded him of a family.
“That’s when I realized this is more than an organization,” Borntrager said. “It’s a family. They’re here for you not only on the fire scene, but throughout your life. And you have to think of it that way because you’re here a third of your life in the line of duty.”
This may be why Borntrager was voted to be Firefighter of the Year, an award that was presented to him on Thursday afternoon during the Columbus Exchange Club meeting at Lion Hills Center.
Fire Chief Duane Hughes told The Dispatch that Borntrager returned from his accident with a positive attitude, completing his training at the Fire Academy and his emergency medical technician training.
These accomplishments, along with Borntrager’s ability to work alongside his fellow firefighters in his three years with the department, were all reasons Hughes gave for why Borntrager’s fellow firefighters may have voted for him to receive the award.
“He gave us a scare early on,” Hughes said. “It was a horrible car accident he was in. And to be honest, he could have lost his life. To be able to come back from that injury, return to work, and still excel, I think that was on a lot of people’s minds.”
Staffing up at CFR
Following the award presentation, Hughes gave an update on the current state of Columbus Fire and Rescue to the club members, saying recruitment has risen.
In the past year, Hughes said, the average pay for a starting firefighter went up from $10.55 an hour to $12.50 per hour. After completing fire academy and EMT training, that rate goes up to $13.50. The removal of a nepotism policy in the city also allowed Hughes to recruit more firefighters, as the policy had restricted “generational membership” in CFR.
“The department has the opportunity now within the next month to be fully staffed,” Hughes said. “We haven’t been in that position in around six or seven years. With that comes the extra challenge of getting those individuals in and keeping them.”
Hughes said each starting firefighter costs $15,000 to supply with training and equipment. He said retention is crucial, especially with a new aluminum plant moving into the area.
“All that to say, although we’ve reached this summit, I as a fire chief have this fear that we have a new aluminum mill coming in our community,” Hughes said. “They’re paying much more than $13.50 an hour. And if I was a young fireman starting out in my career, and I had a family, that would dictate where I stayed. My heart may be with the department, but I have financial responsibility.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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