Name:  Joshua Ashmar

Age:  17

Hometown:  Breinigsville, Pa.

College:  College is in my future plans so I can obtain a degree for my impending career in law enforcement or nursing.

Family: (spouse, kids, etc.):  I am an 11th-grade student in Parkland High School. My father Sam is an Upper Macungie Township Supervisor as well as the fire marshal for Upper Macungie Township Station 56. My mother Sharon is a Speech Language Pathologist at The Hillside School. My sister Makala is in her fourth year at Bloomsburg University. I have been dating Marissa Wagner for the past two years. I have three dogs, two cats and a rabbit.

Fire Company: Upper Macungie Township Station 56

Years on the Job/ Volunteering: I joined in January 2010 at the age of 14 as a junior firefighter. I completed the six-month Fire Academy through Bucks County Community College and I am currently enrolled in six-month Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class through Lehigh Carbon Community College. 

What really made you want to be a firefighter? I was born into a firefighter family. I enjoyed the fire prevention programs that were held at school and responding to emergency calls with my father.

Tell one story you’ll never forget about your firefighting experience. 

I enjoyed spending the day with the Station 56 members and Santa Claus during the holiday season as we visited the elderly residents of Country Meadows Nursing Home.

What do you most want people in the community to know about the work? I have found that helping the community is rewarding in many ways. I have made some incredible friends through the emergency services. The training and commitment is intense, but the experience has helped me stay grounded.   I have seen firsthand the tragic results of careless fire behavior and reckless driving.