Don Santangelo

Do you have a hero? Heroes are compassionate, helpful, protective, and thoughtful. They can have many more traits, these are only a few. I have a hero and he is a firefighter.

During the five years he volunteered as a Nutley firefighter, my hero was also taking classes to become a firefighter. After those five years, he was eligible for the Civil Service Test, which he had to pass to become a career firefighter. When the test came up, he had to study and read many books on being a firefighter so he could pass the test. My hero did!

While living in Nutley, my hero was posted on the Hazmat team (hazardous material) for the fire department. My hero and his team put out fires that had to do with spills and cars. Although my hero is on the hazmat team, he still has to go to regular building and house fires. He is also required to work whenever the fire department needs him.

Firefighters are very important to us. No matter what time it is, they’ll answer your call. This is why my hero answered a call when it was about 2:00 A.M. A tire distributor went up in smoke. It was a very big fire and my hero and his team were there fighting the fire from about 2:00 to 12:00 midnight the next day. They would not give up until the job was done.

My hero is brave and protective. I know this because he has put his own life on the line to save others. If you’ve ever had a fire in your house, you would know firefighters are always there. They deserve to be respected for what they do. Their job is a dangerous one. My hero always wanted to be a police officer when he was younger. “My friends were police officers, but after having my children, that, in my opinion, is a much more dangerous job!” my hero exclaimed. When my hero first became a firefighter and it was time to fight his first fire, he said, “I was nervous, anxious, and scared all at the same time.”

My hero wanted to become a firefighter because it was a challenging profession and he wanted to help people. My hero has fought many fires and he still loves his job. My hero is a great man. Although he is always busy, he still finds time for me.

In conclusion, everyone should have a hero whether it’s a movie star or a family member. My hero is my uncle. His name is Don Santangelo. He has two children and lives in Nutley, New Jersey. “I love it. It is my whole life,” said my uncle. My uncle is my hero because he is always there for me and is helping me learn right from wrong. He helps people all the time and I look up to him. His hard work, compassion for others, and willingness to help those in need make him my hero.