City of Valdosta Press Release:
Mark Schulte began his employment with the City of Valdosta Fire Department in July of 2017 and presently holds the position of Firefighter. Firefighters are responsible for responding to emergency incidents and providing fire, rescue, medical, hazmat, and special rescue services to the citizens and community while upholding the City and Fire Department’s mission, vision, and core values.
On the morning of May 11, 2018 at approximately 7:30 a.m., Lieutenant Miller and Firefighter Schulte were sitting in the bay talking. A young lady passed by in front of the bay as if she were searching for something. Instead, she walked back around the front of Engine 2 and asked if they could help her because she “fell in a hole.” VFD personnel quickly figured out that the “hole” was located on the west side of the station. Firefighter Schulte asked her if she wanted a towel to help dry herself off and she said yes.
Firefighter Schulte came back out with a towel and handed it to her. Firefighter A.D. Williams and Firefighter Schulte also grabbed some newspapers and dried out her shoes while she was attempting to dry her pants and socks. VFD personnel offered to call her parents or make arrangements to get her home to change, but she insisted that she would be fine and needed to go to school. While putting her shoes back on, Firefighter Schulte found out her name was Jada and she was in the 5 th grade. Before leaving, Jada hugged each Firefighter and tried to return the towel to Firefighter Schulte; however, he insisted that she keep it in case she needed it. After Jada left, Lieutenant Miller asked Firefighter Schulte if that towel was just an extra one left in the laundry room and he stated that it was his towel (and that it was clean). Firefighter Schulte then inquired if the convenience store next door sold clothing items and if he could purchase some for her to wear to school.
His actions on that morning demonstrate Firefighter Schulte’s commitment to serving the public. Donating his towel to a citizen in need and even thinking to procure clothing for that same citizen at his own expense exemplifies his service-oriented nature and goes above and beyond his job description as a Firefighter for the City of Valdosta. It is for these reasons and many others that the Employee Relations Committee nominated Firefighter Mark Schulte as Employee of the Month.
