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MADISON — Matthew Lee has been hanging out at the Bethany Fire Department since he was taken there as a child by his father, Mike, a firefighter since 1985.

In July, Matt was honored as the Bethany Fire Department Firefighter of the Year for the contributions he has made to the department.

At age 16, Matt is a junior firefighter, and Rockingham County Fire Marshal Robert Cardwell said he is likely the youngest in the county to ever receive the award.

His name will be entered in the countywide competition later this year.

Matt had no idea he was even being considered for the award and he said he was “pretty excited and surprised” when his name was called by Alan Farrar, fire chief at that time.

Phillip Butler replaced Farrar as fire chief that same night.

Also present was Matt’s father, Mike, who resigned from Bethany Fire Department to become the chief of the Lincolnton Fire Department.

As the former assistant fire chief, Phillip Butler was in charge of the junior firefighters and Matt said he spent a lot of time with him.

“I tried to instill in Matt the traditions of the fire service and make sure his skills would be suficient to give him a good career in the fire service,” Butler said.

“We are proud of Matt Lee for his dedication and services to the Bethany community. We feel like he is following in his dad’s footsteps, our former chief, Mike Lee. We can see the same dedication in Matt as we did in Mike Lee.”

Mike Lee was Bethany’s Firefighter of the Year in 1988 and last year was named National Fire Chief of the year, Butler said.

“I think it shows a lot of dedication to a volunteer organization for his peers, who probably are a considerable amount older than he is, to have voted for him to receive this nomination,” Cardwell said about Matt.

“I am a firm believer that the junior firefighter program in these fire departments is the foundation to the fire service future. It builds good character and gives a lot of young people the opportunity to see if this is something they want to do as a career.”

Matt is also the son of Angela and Mike Wilson of Madison, and he will be 17 on Sept. 4.

Matt recalls following after his father as a child and “staying on his heels and watching what he did.” He often was treated to rides in the fire trucks by his father and other firefighters.

“I was just extremely proud of him,” said Mike Lee. “A father is always proud of his children when they follow in his footsteps.”

A rising junior at Rockingham County High School, Matt already knows his plans for the future. He wants to attend UNC-Charlotte to major in fire science and technology.

Although he was active as a junior firefighter from age 14, Matt’s volunteer work at the Bethany Department intensified after he got his driver’s license last fall.

Then, he started going to the station every day after school and helping the part-timers as they were getting off work. Bethany has several men designated as “part-time” firefighters who work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days a week.

Most of the time, Matt helped clean up, took out the trash and checked the trucks to be sure nothing was out of order.

Matt spent even more time at the department on the days he did not go to school, going in every morning and leaving late in the afternoon.

Although Matt cannot drive a firetruck until he is 18 and is certified by the state, he does move the trucks around the bays and yard.

He also goes out on fire calls for the department and now has the responsibility for assigning the other junior fighters tasks at fire scenes.

“Mostly they get tools off the trucks for the firefighters and help them change the airpack bottles,” he said.

He said he can’t wait until he becomes 18 and can become a full-fledged firefighter like his father.

“I want to follow in my father’s shoes and be a full-time firefighter and possibly assume a position as chief one day.”

Ann Fish is a Reidsville native who has lived in Eden since 1979. She is a retired newspaper editor and reporter. Contact her at annsomersfish@yahoo.com