Husband and Wife Serve the Community at West Deptford Fire Department

West Deptford, N.J. – Volunteer firefighters and husband and wife, Olivia and Michael Golding, love being able to serve the community together at the West Deptford Fire Department.

Olivia’s love for service started during her childhood when she watched her mother and father volunteer at the firehouse together.

“Seeing my parents volunteer together was something special. Someday I hope to share those same experiences with our children,” Olivia shared.

Like Olivia, Michael always had a burning desire to serve his community. He took the leap into becoming a volunteer firefighter after a friend of his joined. Michael quickly realized, there are countless lessons to be learned in the fire service.

“I learned how to put out fires, but I’ve gained even more knowledge about teamwork and leadership,” said Michael.

Though they both attended the same high school, they didn’t meet until after graduation. Michael and Olivia met when they started volunteering with the Verga Fire Company over eight years ago and started dating soon after. They’ve now been together for seven years and married for over a year.

“Michael is caring and compassionate. He’s a quick learner and able to adapt to changing situations with ease. I appreciate him as a leader and mentor,” said Olivia.

As a captain of the West Deptford Fire Department, Michael takes initial command on a call for service until a higher officer arrives. Michael and Olivia’s relationship roles shift slightly when they arrive at the firehouse, as Michael is considered to be one of Olivia’s bosses.

“It can be challenging at times,” said Olivia, “But I know he just wants to help me succeed and become a better firefighter, and at the end of the day, I love volunteering by his side.”

“It’s a privilege that not everyone gets to have with their wives,” said Michael, “I love being able to go on calls with her and spend even more time together.”

Olivia and Michael both stressed that volunteering at the West Deptford Fire Department has been enriching. The department responds to a wide range of calls, from water rescue to vehicle accidents, but even the smaller calls are important to helping the community.

“The look in a resident’s eye when they call us for something that may not seem so important to others but it is to them, such as installing a new smoke detector, is what makes volunteering special,” said Michael.

Although firefighting can be physically and mentally challenging at times, Olivia and Michael take comfort in being able to decompress with each other. They have each other’s backs, as well as the whole department.

“I have made many friends that have become like a family,” said Olivia.

“We are so grateful to have Mike and Liv on our team at West Deptford Fire Department,” said Chief David Raso. “Those looking to make a meaningful difference in our community should consider joining us.”

The West Deptford Fire Department is currently looking for volunteer firefighters to join its firefighting family. Visit WestDeptfordFirefighter.org to learn more.