Grape Creek When Alan Andrews visited America on a tourist visa, he may not have realized that he’d eventually be taking on the biggest role within a local fire department.
After his service in the U.S. military, he wanted to be a firefighter. Andrews planned to travel back and forth between the United Kingdom and the United States every six months. He joined the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department in 2018, with the understanding that he would serve with the department when he was here.
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In 2020, Andrews was unable to fly back to the U.K. as a result of COVID-19. He applied for an extension on his tourist visa. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was backed up for about seven months. Having enough money, Andrews decided to just wait it out.
“Homeland Security messed up,” Andrews said, creating a delay in his paperwork. It took hiring an attorney to straighten out the mess.
Since working would be illegal while waiting, he decided to enroll in firefighting school in 2020-21. Andrews then went on to complete emergency medical training, going from a basic level to becoming an advanced medic.
After his training, he was promoted to the position of lieutenant with the Grape Creek Fire Department. On Jan. 2, 2024, Andrews stepped into the role of fire chief after a vote from the members. He was not only capable, but well received.
As his military training would have it, he decided to create a better image for his firefighters by implementing a uniform dress code. Andrews holds his members to a higher standard.
“I have great respect for the team I have here,” he said.
Andrews said his biggest challenge as chief is “trying to get out into the community. We want to reach out to our community and do more. We want the public to see us doing training, and I’d like to get more volunteers.
“I would love to get some young people, that would be awesome; you know, who would be fit enough to fight fires. Our older guys are not going to be able to do it one day.”
Andrews has a five-year plan for his department, which includes getting new equipment.
“The pumper and the engine are so outdated, and it costs more money to keep them on the road,” he said. In the next 6-12 months, he’d like to sell both vehicles and purchase one good engine.
In the long term, Andrews wants to have a new station built. Some of the personnel on shift sleep on the ground in sleeping bags. The new station would be equipped with generators and serve as a shelter for folks during tornados.
His disaster plan would include firefighters going out into the community in pairs to look at each road to make sure people are safe. If not, they’d bring them back to the station for safety.
Andrews was born in London. At age 17, he moved out of London and joined the British Army, where he served for 18 years as a Royal Marine Commando, jumping out of aircraft for 16 years. In 2000, he was out of the military.
As a result of the time he spent in Bosnia with a peacekeeping force and the things he endured, he said post-traumatic stress syndrome ended his marriage. Andrews eventually moved to Scotland and purchased a small farm with sheep, cattle, pigs and hens.
Andrews met his wife online while writing each other. She worked at Murphy Medical Center in Peachtree (now Erlanger Hospital) and texted Andrews for about nine months.] `One day, she invited him on a cruise. His response was, “Well, let me find someone who can look after 1,000 sheep, 10 cows and four dogs.”
They started dating in 2015 and were married in October 2023 in Hanging Dog, with members from both the Grape Creek and Peachtree fire departments attending the ceremony.
Andrews’ past employment includes work as a school bus driver and a janitor. His hobbies include playing the bagpipes. On Sept. 11, 2001, he played “Amazing Grace” on a mountain.
Details: If you’d like information on the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department or learning how to play the bagpipes, call 828-361-3979.