Current Fire Chief Duane Nechodom has risen through the ranks in the department on his own, learning from Marty every step of the way. “I got on in 1993,” Chief Nechodom said.

But hiring paid personnel for the fire department would cost at least $200,000 annually. And Sims said the town would need an additional $300,000 for equipment costs. Answering the call ...

The small-town fire department, established in those early years, has grown alongside the community. Fast forward to today, Denton is now a thriving city of 168,000 residents with no signs of ...