The Thin Line Spotlight: Brian Miller
Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided
Brian Miller, a captain with the Zionsville Fire Department, has enjoyed being a firefighter and considers it an outstanding job. He has felt this way since he began as a volunteer.
“As a volunteer I held several different ranks including the president of the volunteer board for several years,” Miller says. “For the first 14 years as a career firefighter, I served as the deputy chief of operations. For the last two years I have served as the Station 91 house captain on the A shift.”
Miller has treasured every year he has worked as a firefighter.
“I was a firefighter for a total of 26 years,” Miller says. “I spent 10 years as a volunteer and 16 years as a career firefighter.”
Miller was first inspired to become a firefighter when he was young.
“Living and growing up in the community, I watched my father serve on the department for 16 years,” Miller says. “As a kid my friends and I spent several summer days following the fire trucks and hanging around the fire station on Cedar Street. My grandfather also served the town for years as the director of the town’s water department.”
Miller is continually impressed with the Zionsville Fire Department.
“Over the years I have had the chance to work with several different members of the department, and be able to watch the department grow and change from an all-volunteer department to a high-performing, professional department today,” Miller says. “Having the chance to work alongside Chief [James] VanGorder to help build and shape the department over the years has been a great honor. Coming back to the companies these past few years and working with the amazing A shift crews in Station House 91 has brought me back to where I started, taking runs and living with my family away from home every third day.”
Miller says there are measures that home and business owners can take to prevent fires.
“Remember to check your smoke detectors and alarm systems at least twice a year,” Miller says. “Follow the recommendations on all electric appliances and cords. Remember to have your furnace dry vents and chimneys cleaned and inspected.”
Miller loves Zionsville.
“Working and living in the same town you grew up in is an amazing opportunity,” he says. “Even though the town has more than doubled in
size, being able to still call people by name and know so many of the families makes it even more special to be able to help them in their time of need. It is overwhelming, the support we receive from the town. The number of people that stop by to say thanks and share the outcome of their medical emergency or reasons for calling 911 makes coming to work each day more and more worth it.”
When Miller isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with family and friends.
“I have been married to my best friend and amazing wife for 24 years,” he says. “She has been the rock behind my years at the fire department. She is always ready to listen and be by my side through the good and bad times of my 26-year career with the department. She has always been supportive of the hours that are required by this type of work. I have been blessed with two wonderful children, Luke, 20, and Megan, 16. These two kids are always waiting patiently for me to come home, especially when the department was much smaller and it required its members to respond from home and leave family events. My years serving the town could not have been done without my family.”
“Being able to be a firefighter is truly the best job in the world,” Brian Miller adds.
