Being a first responder always ran in the family of Donnie Ross.

Ross is the second family member to serve as a firefighter at Potter Station Volunteer Fire Department.

He became a volunteer firefighter at the age of 15 in 2013. His father, Jeremy Ross, also serves in the Potter Station VFD.

“I’ve been around firefighting my whole life,” Ross said. “I got involved in it at an early age and my parents approved.”

For Ross, being a firefighter comes natural to him.

“My dad and the guys at the fire station have been doing this forever,” Donnie Ross said. “An adrenaline rush goes through me whenever the tone goes off on the radio. I get to go out and save someone’s life.”

Donnie Ross, 21, said he wasn’t pressured to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“Being able to be there with my dad and helping out someone is a big deal,” Donnie Ross said. “My dad is my hero and it’s great that I have a chance to save someone’s life in a fire and be their hero at the same time.”

Donnie Ross said his mother, April Ross, always gets nervous whenever they go to a fire.

“My mom always gets terrified when me and my dad both leave to go put out a fire,” Donnie Ross said.

Donnie Ross and his family are lifelong Dallas County natives.

Donnie Ross is a 2016 graduate of Dallas County High School. Jeremy Ross graduated from Southside High School, while April Ross is a Dallas County graduate.

Donnie Ross said he doesn’t have a conflict with his regular job at Helena Chemicals and volunteering at Potter Station VFD.

“The people I work with are really good,” Donnie Ross said. “If we’re not too busy, they’ll let me go and help put out a fire. Both jobs are all about helping people.”