Tom Kerr: Brookings volunteer of 2009

Brookings Fire Capt. Tom Kerr at his store, Kerr Ace Hardware

No, he hasn’t pulled a baby from the jaws of a mountain lion or leapt tall buildings with a single bound.

Kerr has been a volunteer firefighter with Brookings Fire Department for 40 years. And for that, the city has named him Volunteer of the Year for 2009.

During those four decades, Kerr has served as assistant fire chief, fire captain and interim fire chief

“He is my hero in a personal way,” said Fire Chief Bill Sharp.

When Sharp was injured in a motorcycle accident in 2003, within 24 hours Kerr had stepped in to keep the department operating.

“He stepped right in; it was business as usual,” Sharp said.

Kerr kept the department running for Sharp during the chief’s 10-month recovery.

But Kerr didn’t only step in when there was an emergency. He is there all the time.

“Tom is the rock that I’ve built this department on,” Sharp said. “He has been a solid, supportive person in this department for years.”

Kerr said, “I went to my first fire when I was 9 months old.”

Kerr’s father was a Brookings fire chief, and was in charge of Tom one night when a fire call came in.

“He brought me with him,” Kerr said.

With firefighting in the blood, Kerr stuck with the job and still loves it today.

“It’s still an adrenaline rush,” Kerr said.

Kerr is also kept busy by his family business, Kerr Ace Hardware, and has served on volunteer boards such as the Downtown Revitalization Committee and the Stakeholder Committee.