All in the family

As a parent, there are few things better in life than your kids following in your footsteps, especially when it’s a career that you’ve dedicated over 20 years of service to.

With 26 years of service under his belt, retired senior firefighter and Firefighters Mutual Bank member, Keith Ashman, was a driving force and motivator for his son-in-law, Troy Pepperell, to enrol in the academy in 2016.

Troy graduated earlier this year, and we recently spoke with his wife Lauren to get some insight on what it means to have a second-generation firefighter in the family.

“The application process ended up being quite long; from the first interview until Troy started classes, was about a year and a half,” said Lauren. “Because of the length of that journey, Keith was always in Troy’s ear saying, ‘Mate, it’s the best job. You’ll become part of the family with the guys you’re at the station with.’ He was always encouraging and motivating him.

“Keith’s exact words were: ‘I’m ecstatic, and I’m very proud of my son-in-law. He worked very hard to become a firefighter; he’s one of the elite.’ Keith even brought out his graduation suit that he kept; it’s all a little nostalgic for him.”

Before enrolling in the academy, Troy worked in fire safety fitting sprinklers. His close association with the industry helped to foster his admiration and respect for the role and the responsibilities firefighters have within the community. He has always enjoyed helping people and was eager to be part of a well-respected community and industry. The comradery, continuous learning opportunities and variety and diversity of the role all played a part in Troy’s decision.

The decision to join Firefighters Mutual Bank was just another part of joining the fire brigade for Troy. Keith and his wife Debbie first joined the credit union in the 1980s and always spoke highly of the helpful, personal service offered by all the staff including General Manager Jim O’Connell. The family connection made the decision for Lauren and Troy to join Firefighters Mutual Bank when he graduated a no-brainer. Coming from a larger bank, Lauren and Troy love the personal experience and community feel that Firefighters Mutual Bank has.

There is a good chance this family won’t stop at two generations of firefighters, as Lauren and Troy’s son, Zahn, already has a love of big fire trucks.

“He’s obsessed with fire trucks. A few weeks ago, he saw his dad drive up in the truck for the first time, so it’s nice to think that he’ll aspire to be like him. He’s 17 months, so he’s only just connecting the dots that his dad drives the truck that he loves,” said Lauren.