This feature originally ran in the November 2025-January 2026 issue of Community Matters, the quarterly magazine produced by The Cullman Tribune.
For members of the Trimble Volunteer Fire Department, service is a calling born out of love for their town, their families and for one another. Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Whitlock, Secretary Crystal Eubanks, Lt. Jonathan Eubanks and Firefighter Charles Freeman are among the heroes who keep the department strong.
Not everyone sets out to become a firefighter. Crystal Eubanks said she never expected it to happen. “I’d been in dental for nine years and had no interest in firefighting or EMS. Jonathan dragged me to a meeting, and on a whim, I joined. The first medical call we ran changed everything. I fell in love with it. Currently, I’m a full-time EMT. This department changed my life.”
For Jonathan Eubanks, service runs deeper. “I was getting out of the military, and I needed something to fill that hole,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to serve my community.”
Whitlock has carried the love of serving others for decades. “I’ve worked EMS for 25 years, and even when I let my license go, I never let go of serving. There’s always a way to help.”
“Around here, everyone helps each other. This gives us more tools to do it,” added Freeman.
No day in the department is ever the same, and things can change in an instant.
“Some days, it’s quiet, you’re at your regular job, living your life,” Crystal Eubanks explained. “Then suddenly, it’s back-to-back calls. One minute it’s a lift assist, then a tree in the road, then a structure fire. We’ve always joked that calls come in threes.” Calls can range from hay fires to car wrecks, from stubbed toes to cardiac arrests. “When that tone drops, you don’t know what’s waiting. But you know you’ve got work to do.”
Training is rigorous, requiring 160 hours to qualify for entry into a burning structure. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including hazardous materials, ventilation techniques and engine operation.
“Some people come in with no training at all. Maybe they help clean the station or maintain equipment. Others go all the way, becoming professional firefighters, divers or paramedics. We’ll train you. All we need is your heart,” said Jonathan Eubanks.
The fire department is a close-knit group, considering each other family.
“We eat dinner together before every meeting, and we bring our kids, we laugh, we argue. It’s more than just a fire department,” shared Crystal Eubanks.
That sense of family carries over to the calls they’ll never forget. For her, it was saving a gunshot victim. For Whitlock, it was carrying a heart attack patient through the snow during the blizzard of 1993. For Freeman, it was feeding the community for a week after the 2011 tornadoes.
“When it’s a neighbor or a kid you’ve watched grow up, that’s when you realize why we do this,” shared Jonathan Eubanks.
Like many rural departments, Trimble struggles with staffing and funding. Some calls go unanswered because there aren’t enough staff members to handle them. Any form of assistance is greatly appreciated. Even small supplies, such as Band-Aids, fuel and gauze, can strain the department’s budget. Grants and community support keep them going, but the need is constant.
“You don’t have to run into a burning building,” Jonathan Eubanks said. “Wash trucks, help with fundraising or run lift assists. Even the smallest job makes a difference.”
To these local heroes, being a part of the Trimble Volunteer Fire Department means more than just being a firefighter.
“It’s family helping family. It’s not an obligation; it’s love. We’re neighbors helping neighbors,” said Whitlock.
