Mineral Wells is proud to announce that we have been blessed with a new Fire Chief! He has all the experience and compassion this town could hope for. We are lucky to welcome Ryan Dunn into this position.
Ryan moved here in first grade with his beloved parents. He is very honored to have grown up in our humble community. It wasn’t until he graduated from Mineral Wells High School and went off to college at South Plains in Levelland, that he discovered his love for serving people. He originally planned to go to school to become a coach. However, when a friend of his invited him to become a volunteer firefighter in 2004. It was then he found his calling in life. I asked him what changed his mind to become a firefighter and he said, “At the time it was a little more of the excitement and the adrenaline. But since then it’s just always been about helping people. I like to serve them.” His parents were completely supportive of his new calling in life and are very proud of the man he has become.
Not long after Ryan first became a fireman in Plainview, Texas he and his lovely wife Shaina decided it was time to move back home to Mineral Wells. Since becoming Fire Chief, Ryan has big plans for the department that will better serve the people Ryan has big plans for the department that will better serve the people. He says, “We are going to be looking for ways to improve our response time and have enough people to do it.”
He hopes to grow the department’s team to eleven people per shift, which is the recommended amount needed to handle a housefire situation. As of right now, they only have eight. Ryan and the whole team are very thankful for all the volunteer firefighters who assist them daily. Ryan is proud to be a part of this growing brotherhood.
Recently they also received the AFG grant which has sent twelve people to school. There are also currently four individuals that are enrolled in the paramedic program at Weatherford College. He is appreciative of all of the city’s support in making these improvements, “The city council members have really been helpful recently. They approved us to make payments on a 109ft ladder. That actually was one big step that we needed with these high rises downtown.”
Lastly, another one of his major goals is not only to progress our department. But to better their ISO rating from a 3 to a 2 as well. In doing so, commercial insurances will lower their prices for local businesses. Thus enhancing the growth of Mineral Wells, protect our community, and achieve that goal, all at a fair price.
When Ryan isn’t being our local superhero. He is first and foremost a super-dad. He is blessed with two young boys that are excited their dad is a fireman who helps everyone. Although they do enjoy it when he comes home at the end of the day. They get to spend time together working on their family ranch. Ryan couldn’t do all of this without his wonderful wife, Shaina. “I give a shout-out to my wife. She does most of the work most days.”
Ryan is very excited to be back in his hometown. He is ready to give back to the community that gave so much to him. Along with any challenges that may come our way. He says, “I love this place. It was really hard when I first came back here. Because I was so used to working someplace else. There were more people, and nicer equipment too. But now we’re starting to find that growth and we’re starting to catch up with a lot of it. I would literally put this department up against any other department. We have a bunch of great people that know what they are doing.”
Writer | I graduated from Weatherford College with an Associates in Art, focusing on history, creative writings, sociology, and humanities. Experience in child development, client care, and runs local Spoken Word Poetry group for young teens.
