Firefighting runs in the Simpkins' family. It was highlighted again this week when Catonsville resident Norman Simpkins Jr. became captain of the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department.
He took over on Wednesday night after two months of taking on the duties for the new role because Capt. Doug Simpkins Jr., his uncle, was retiring after serving in the position for 24 years. Doug Simpkins will continue as a member of the department, his nephew said.
As the 22nd captain of the fire department, Norman Simpkins, 37, a former senior first lieutenant of the company, follows a family tradition that began with his grandfather, Doug Simpkins Sr.
"I will have big shoes to fill, of my uncle and will also have to continue the last-name tradition," Simpkins said.
He said his new responsibilities include handling "personnel issues, dealing with issues coming down from the Baltimore County or the Volunteer Firemen's Association, dealing with the budget of the operations side."
As second in command, his position was more hands-on with the responsibility of overseeing day-to-day operations said Simpkins, who works as a Baltimore County firefighter.
"I'm looking forward to knowing that I'll be playing a bigger role, overseeing not only what I've done in the past, but the bigger picture of being the company commander," Simpkins said. "I have a really good team underneath me this year."
Simpkins said he will be replaced by two senior first lieutenants, Stephen Hardesty, who is in charge of day-to-day operations, and Jonathan Bratt, who will oversee training, safety and strategic planning.
Underneath Hardesty and Bratt are 11 lieutenants who head the EMS, suppression and rescue units, Simpkins said.
"We have already gotten our feet on the ground and running," Simpkins said. "We have some changes we're working on, but improvements aren't going to happen overnight."
Those improvements include getting the new members training and certified to use equipment at a faster rate.
"We are the second most busy volunteer fire department in the county," Simpkins said. "So we need to get them cleared to have the apparatus hit the street."
The department's medic unit serves the entire county, which accounts for 90 percent of their calls, Simpkins said.
The suppression and rescue unit serves southwest Baltimore County and the swift water rescue team serves the western portion of the county. Those units also respond to calls in Howard County.
As head of the department, Simpkins will be more visible within the community.
"We've always had good relations with those in the community, including businesses," Simpkins said. "We definitely want to continue that relationship."
Simpkins said he has run the fire prevention program in the community at Arbutus, Halethorpe and Relay elementary schools, which he plans to continue.
After the recent tragic accident in which a young boy died after falling through the ice on a pond in Hillcrest Park in Lansdowne, Simpkins said he wants to add safety to the fire prevention class taught to elementary school students in October.
Mihai Petrisor, a Timonium resident and EMS second lieutenant at the fire department, who joined the department as a student at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, said he welcomes the new captain's leadership.
"I think it's a great switch — he's younger and has a fresh perspective," Petrisor said.
Doug Simpkins Jr. was attending a volunteer firefighter convention in Florida and could not be reached for comment for this article.