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TOOELE — Over the past week Utahns have seen quite a display of brotherhood among public safety officers in the state. At the North Tooele Fire District, that brotherhood is evident among three firefighters who are brothers.
And it doesn't stop there. The chief, Randy Willden, is their dad.
"The boys went with me everywhere I went," said Chief Willden, who began his career with the Murray Fire Department in 1985. "They became a novelty when we traveled around."
Ryan Willden was the first to join the North Tooele Fire District as a volunteer firefighter in 2004. Younger brother Eric followed in his footsteps as a volunteer firefighter a year later. Both brothers live in Tooele County.
There is a responsibly and an urge to help those people. They're your neighbors, your community.
–Ryan Willden
"There is a responsibly and an urge to help those people. They're your neighbors, your community," said Ryan.
"It's that sense of accomplishment; it's that sense of, you're my neighbor, I want to help out how I can," added Eric.
In 2011, Chief Willden retired from the Murray Fire Department and took his position at the North Tooele Fire Department. The youngest brother, Cameron, was hired in 2013.
"I've always wanted to make my dad proud. As a little kid, I remember running around the fire station and pretending to be a firefighter," said Cameron.
With the Willden brothers there is quite a bit of laughter. They constantly tease each other, pointing out Eric is the light-hearted one, Ryan is the serious one and Cameron is the pretty boy.
"We were walking around (taking donations for Fill the Boot) and all the girls kept saying, 'Can we get a picture with you, Cameron?' and Eric and I are like 'What are we, chopped liver?'" Ryan laughed.
While it's obvious these brothers like to razz each other, they take their responsibilities as firefighters seriously. "When we're on a fire scene, it's mostly business," said Ryan.
"I've got to always be aware that I've got all these lives to look after," added Chief Willden. "Not just my boys' lives, but all of my firefighters' lives."
The Willden men have tackled many life-threatening situations together, including an intense house fire on Captain's Island in December 2014.
"We had a ceiling collapse inside the garage about 10 minutes into the fire and one of my boys was inside on the hose line," said Chief Willden.
Cameron was inside, but he was not directly under the collapse. He was unharmed. But events like Captain's Island remind these Willden men to always have each others' backs.
"Most parents probably wonder where their kids are after midnight, but chances are if we're out after midnight, we're together. So if one of us is getting into trouble, we're all getting into trouble," said Ryan.
When it comes to working for their dad, the Willden boys say they don't get special treatment.
"You want to do right by him because he's the chief; he's the face of the organization, so you want to put your best foot forward and represent him and our district," said Ryan.
Their respect for their father is without question.
"I've been able to grow here and learn here, but I've also had, in my eyes, the greatest teacher," said Cameron. "And he's pushed really hard to progress the department into a position where it can serve the community 24 hours.
"It really rewarding to have my boys here, to spend good genuine time with them doing something good for the community," said Chief Willden.
It's really rewarding to have my boys here, to spend good, genuine time with them doing something good for the community.
–Chief Willden
Ryan and Eric say they will continue as volunteer firefighters in their community under the direction of their father. Cameron however, will scale back his shifts with the North Tooele Fire District now that he has been hired full time with the Murray Fire Department, where his father spent 26 years.
"He is their first legacy hire," said Chief Willden.
"It's so great to see that family tradition carry on," added Ryan.
