Concord University Alumni Magazine - Fall 2025

yf rei ae rnsd, ”l yE, dp es rasi do n. “aTbhl ee yg uwyesr. eO jnues to af tl ho et mo f wr eaasl l y ti nh,ear ne dwthheeny wwee rwe ehreel pd ioni gn gt hf reens ehwm agnu yms omvoe v- e imn a. Td he eyyo ur efaelel yl ah apda rtthoe fi rt ha ec tgtrooguept hrei gr hatnadw a y, made you feel a part of what was going on.” Ed idf faenr ednCt hma er lni et ha ag nr ewe dh et hnatthtehye ay rlreifvtecdo, l l e g e ao nv edrwt hhei l ef omu ru yc eh aorfs tahteCi ro tnrcaonrsdf owr ma sadt iuoen ti noctlhuediirnignvEot alvAe ml p ehna’tsi nd etdhiec aPtii oKna pt op ss,o c i a l ao nf di t pwhai sl oaslos po hdi uc ae l toouCt or enaccohr dp’ rsonj eucrttsu, rmi nugc h eitnavlilroownemde. nt and the opportunity for growth LE il ki zea mb eatnhyCsatrutde er, nhtes r, eE,da mn de tt hhei si nwsitfreu, c t o r s i n tinhseppiroelidtihcaiml s.cience and history instructors “pDror.feTsiesornr,”eyEdwsaasiad.p“oHlietiwcaalssmciyenacdevisor, and hloet wabaosuatgtohoatdp, greongurainme.”person who cared a HD re. aKliseor ng aa nv ef ohrulgeea vpirnogp as tl aosDt irn. gF ei md eprai cc it ,a n d ai nl ov no lgv we di tfha ct eh-et of a- fcat cteh iant the irsa cc ltai os ns es s, wa lhl i c h hsteulpdeedntbsuainldd stoelaicdhreerlsa.tionships between

“Concord has and continues to impact local communities and West Virginia. Alumni are fire chiefs, doctors, lawyers, teachers, government employees, business owners, and the list goes on and on. All people who influence, shape and protect our communities and our state,” he said, In 1992, Ed first tested to become a firefighter. He tested in owthheerrec hi tei ews oa rnkde tdo hwi ns sw, ab yu tu hp et hwraosu og fhf et rheedr aa nj okbs if no rB1e8c kyleeayr, s btreafionriengacdhivieivsiionng.the rank of captain, while leading the Ei ndJ wa nausaprryo, amnodt ehde tsoa itdh et hceh il ee fa do ef rt hs he i Bp ercokl el ehy aFsi rceo mD eep a r t m e n t nthaetutrraaillnyi,nagfahcet’shheaadttorvibeur ttehselayregaerlsy. to his background and Cu lht ai mr l ai et et loyobkeac os lmi geh ht liys ddief fset ri ne yn. tHr eo uhteel pt oe dt hees tj oa bb l ti shha tt hweo u l d Pt hrei nnctertioend FhiirsehDa enpdas rat tmaevnat rvi eotl yu notfeoetrhuenr ijtodbus .r i n g c o l l e g e a n d “It took 10 years for me to finally stop resisting the call to stoerdvoe.”,” Charlie said. “I truly feel that this is what I was called He finds the most rewarding part of firefighting to be serving ha ci sc oc mo mp ml i suhnmi teynat sn, de skpneocwi ai nl l yg nt hoawt ht hi sa ftahme i’ sl ycihsi epfr oo uf dP roi nf chei st o n Fire Department, a position he attained in July 2024. For anyone considering a job in firefighting or public safety, Ed recommended they consider the positives and negatives. "Getting a job as a firefighter is still very competitive, but the nd auymibs ear cohfaal lpepnlgi cea, na tnsdi sa dr oe ww anr. dTihnagt c' shtarlul eenngaet ai ot nt wh ai dt ,”e .hEev e r y sgaoiodd. ,“ bWeec aduosge eytotuo abree l ai kwe aay ffarmo mi l yywo ui trhf aomu ri lcyr ae wl osn, gwthi mi c he i s each week.” Long work shifts require extended time away from spouses adnode scmh ial dkreefno, rwah“idc he cceannt bl iev ihnagr,”dEodnstahied .n u c l e a r f a m i l y, b u t i t “But, you are never going to get rich doing it,” he added. C“ rheaarl l- iwe or re lcdo”mc amr ee ne rd er edmt he amt bs et ur dt he na tt se lvoeor ky i nj ogb t ios ec ne tnetre raendy o n some form of business. “bNe loi emv ea tat esre mw he setreer ywo ou rwt ho or kf ,bi at ’ssi ca bbuussiinneessss ,c” lha es sseasi df o. r“ I everyone would help them prepare for the future.”

Fc oo mr Cmhuanr liicea, thi oi sn ma retns t toerasmp ri inmt ahrei lmy icda-m‘ 9e0 sf r, owmh et hn eD r. R o n Bt euarmg hoefrc’ so nmammuenwi t ay salcetgoerns di na rl yi v, ea ,nldo cJ ai ml s at angde Apnr no dLui lcet iloe nd sa annually. “mDern. Jtiomr sL] .i lJei m, A annndLAi l ne ,naLnidl eDwr. eRr oe no vBeurr tghhee rt h[ ewaet reer m y ds aeyp as or tmmeetnhti nwgh, ae nn dI iwt awsi ltlhreerme . i En vdemr ye wo ef es ok mI ’ lel thhei na gr st ho amt eI o n e lseaai dr n, ” eCdhfarrol mi e st ha ei dm. “oDrr.sBo umregthhei rn gc of uu nl dn ay rtghuaet wo ni tehotfhteh be me s t o f tBhuermg h. eI rl i kS ce ht oo oslaoyf tAh ragt uI ma me nat apt ri oonu da ngdr aDdeubaat et eo. fTthheer eR oi snna ol dt L . aledaranyetdhafrtogmoehsibmy.”that I don’t think about him and what I Ef i dn igs rhaedduhaitse dc l aassspeas ritnoDf et hc ee mC lbaesrs 1o9f 9159.9C4h, aarnl di e Cbheal irel ivee s t h a t Cs toundceonrtds’ sa ns md at hl le- tfoawmni l, iceos mwmh ou ns ei teykniat touurte. s t i l l a p p e a l s t o i t s

27

WRITTEN BY TAMMIE PRESLEY