NOTE: Throughout the month of July, BrownwoodNews.com is publishing stories daily on 40 standout citizens under the age of 40 making a positive impact and contribution within the Brown County community.

Following a seven-year career in the U.S Army, Cameron Horton has returned to Brownwood where he looks to continue to serve a community in need as both an EMT and firefighter.

Horton, the son for Brownwood assistant fire chief Jody Horton, officially joined the Brownwood Fire Department on May 2 of this year.

“Right after high school I joined the military because I always wanted to serve my country,” Horton said. “When I got out, I’d been around the fire department for a long time, ever since I was a little kid, so it was like a family to me. I knew the fire service was what I wanted to pursue. The biggest thing is the brotherhood and it’s another family I could count on, plus I enjoy helping people and serving the community.”

Prior to joining the Brownwood Fire Department, Horton also worked on the ambulance with Lifeguard EMS.

“Running calls and helping people is my calling,” Horton said. “I enjoy it and I love showing up on scene and doing whatever I can to help that person. The most rewarding part of my job is probably when you run a call on someone, no matter what it is, the look that they give you, the hug that they give you. I’ve run a few bad calls and I remember getting a letter later on from the patient saying thank you. That really melts my heart when you get stuff like that. I love being there for complete strangers, people I’ve never met before and you’re there to make their day better.”

Horton is also in the process of hopefully joining the SWAT team for the Brownwood Police Department.

Horton was born in Brownwood in 1996 and attended school in Bangs until the seventh grade. He then moved with his mother to Gonzales, where he graduated from high school and joined the military – all with the ultimate plan of one day becoming a firefighter.

“Our role as firefighters is to serve the people of Brownwood,” Horton said. “Every day is different which is awesome. You never know what is going to come across your desk. There are some days where you’re not running as many calls and there’s some days where you are, and every call is different. You get to meet new faces, and one of the biggest things is the people look at you like a hero. We don’t feel that way, but that’s how the community looks at us.”

Horton also spoke of the camaraderie shared between firefighters and the family atmosphere.

“When we’re just sitting at the station you’re spending time with family,” Horton said. “It doesn’t feel like a job to me. I show up every day to my brothers. We eat together, we hang out together, so I never feel like I’m away from home. My wife and my son come up and see us. In the military that was very hard to do, but with this job they’re very flexible when it comes to your family.”

Regarding his goals now that he is a member of the Brownwood Fire Department, Horton said, “Since I’m a probationary firefighter, like any rookie the job is about learning as much as you can to help the senior firefighters during your first year. Once your first year is over with, you can say you made it. They give you the shield that goes on your fire helmet, you become an official member of Brownwood Fire. That’s my first goal. From there, it’s doing as much as I can and learning as much as I can from the senior firefighters. I’m going to multiple schools as often as I can with a goal of ultimately being a fire chief one day. I want to follow in my dad’s footsteps, and there’s a lot of room to grow and work to do, but that’s my goal overall.”

Horton and his wife Gabby were married in 2018 and have a son, Axel, that will turn 1-year-old on Sept. 11.

“I like to spend as much time with my family as I can,” Horton said. “My son, my first kid, was born last year and getting to see him every day is a huge reward. I also like hunting and fishing, but my priority is family. I like to spend time with my family and friends because I missed so much of it while I was in the service.”