Sisante: 'Helping People Was My Calling'

When firefighter Jeremey Sisante was tapped to "get out the vote" for Redondo Beach Fire Station No. 1 in the Family Handyman's Rescue Remodel contest, he warned his superiors that he would go all out to promote it.

"All out" meant pushing people to vote via social media, like Twitter, as well as creating a music video starring Sisante and featuring several of the firefighters at Fire Station No. 1 to post on YouTube.

Though the fire station didn't win the grand prize of a $25,000 kitchen makeover from IKEA, the video went viral, and South Bay organization Sharefest Inc. volunteered to remodel the kitchen, bathroom and living quarters, among other parts of the station.

Though it's Sisante's face in the hit video, it's his brother Ray's voice singing "We Cook Our Food in a Hopeless Place" to the tune of Rihanna's "We Found Love." Ray, who majored in music in college, was diagnosed with leukemia several years ago and received a bone marrow transplant. To pay for his brother's medical bills, Sisante organized a fundraising event, according to a recent article in South Bay Magazine.

In addition, Sisante—who lives in the Hollywood Riviera—helps out with other events like the annual spaghetti dinner.

"This is going to sound cheesy, but I always knew that helping people was my calling," he told South Bay Magazine.

"Our duty doesn't end when we get off shift—it's continuous. So anything we can do to give back to the community, we do."

• Full story: Call of Duty: Pay it Forward [South Bay Magazine]