Firefighter Hero Kenneth Durdun is proud to make an impact on the community

Celebrate our community's police and fire heroes at the Smyrna Heroes Gala (http://www.smyrnaheroesgala.com/) 9.8.12 at historic Brawner Hall. One of the heroes you'll be supporting is KENNETH DURDUN (SFD) who is proud to be a part of a team that has so much impact on the community.

“I’ve never had a bad reaction,” said Firefighter/paramedic Kenneth Durdun, “when I tell people I’m a firefighter.” Durdun believes that “There’s a certain mystique to the profession,” and he immediately senses an element of trust and respect for his occupation. “It’s not everybody’s job,” he added, “when you have the potential to make an impact in an emergency or make a child smile.”

Durdun became interested in firefighting when he was having a home built in 1993 in Paulding County. The builder had gathered up scraps of material and set them afire—then left the scene. A brush fire erupted. Durdun just happened to arrive at the house to check on the builder’s progress; he saw the fire and called the fire department, which was manned by volunteers. After the volunteers extinguished the fire, they all got to talking about firefighting. Soon Durdun became a volunteer firefighter himself for the small community. 

Till on the job today, Durdun's a 16-year veteran, with about 1-1/2 years in Smyrna. Durdun’s enthusiasm for his job still shows. “Each upward step in my career, whether it is a new certification or completing training on a specific piece of equipment is exciting to me,” he explained with a grin. He’s proud to be part of a team “that can have so much impact on a person or a community.” He looks forward each day to “seeing a need and trying to provide for it.” 

One such need Durdun sees is the importance of Fire Safety Education for children, another aspect of his job that he enjoys. He likes that he’s instrumental in helping children become acquainted with firefighters and what to do in an emergency. When he’s called to a fire where children are involved, he understands that “They’re scared enough already.” And, he said, he doesn’t want them “to be scared of the firefighters, too.”

Durdun lives on a private lake and unwinds from his job by spending a lot of time on the lake with his wife of 23 years and his 3 children, skiing or just “hanging out on the dock.” He also enjoys “putting a hundred miles or so in the rearview mirror of my motorcycle.” 

Proceeds from the Gala benefit the Smyrna Public Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to supporting the Police and Fire Departments as well as the community at large. Firefighter Durdun is grateful for the support of the SPSF, particularly for its community outreach programs, the annual holiday “Shop with a Hero” program for area disadvantaged children, and with funds that help injured or disabled firefighters.

Thank you Firefighter Durdun for your enthusiasm and involvement in our community.

For tickets and more information about the Gala, visit http://www.smyrnaheroesgala.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/SmyrnaAuctionforHeroesGala. Also see https://twitter.com/SmyrnaHeroGala