Mike Neff always knew he would fight fires.

Then again, a lot of kids—and boys especially—dream of being firefighters when they grow up.

A 2015 survey by the online parenting resource Fatherly and a coalition of national parenting organizations found that being a firefighter still ranks among the top 10 things kids aspire to when they grow up; for boys, it’s in the top three. (Outside the top 10 list, more random choices included “kitty cat,” “dinosaur,” and “American ninja warrior.”)

But for Mike, who’s now the deputy fire chief in Clinton, it was more than just a passing fancy.

“I started in the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department as a member of the Junior Division. I had always been interested in the Fire Department, since I was a child. My father was a past chief in the ’80s, so I think it was just kind of predetermined that at some point I would join.”

Born and raised in Clinton, Mike grew up on Old Orchard Road with his parents, Peter and Lynn, and his older sister, Heather.

“I always worked with my father on weekends doing odd jobs for family friends. Whether it was helping build a deck or install a brick walkway, we were always doing something.” (Peter Neff is the town’s Public Works director.)

“We spent a lot of time in Maine during the summers with our extended family,” Mike recalls, “and a lot of fun times on the water fishing and crabbing. Then there were the great family water balloon and water pistol fights, along with the great seaweed wars.”

After high school, Mike enrolled at Albertus Magnus College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and computer information systems. In 2011, shortly before graduation, he was offered a job as a computer support specialist for Clinton Public Schools, where he provides tech support on everything from computers in the classroom to the network running the district.

That year, he was also appointed to a lieutenant’s position with the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD), and in 2013, he became captain. This past November, he was elected deputy chief, which makes him second in command of the department behind Fire Chief Brian Manware. In addition to his administrative duties, he’s responsible for ensuring “a constant state of readiness for the department,” making sure firefighters are continuously trained and equipment is inspected and ready for use at a moment’s notice.

“During emergencies, we typically run command,” he says. “It’s my role to assume command of the emergency and direct our efforts to mitigate any emergencies.”

Running command generally means taking charge of the situation, breaking it down into manageable pieces, and staging the various responses.

‘I Have Never Been More Proud to Serve’

Every first responder has a story or two that is impossible to forget. Mike is no exception.

“We had a call once regarding an infant choking, and I was about a half mile down the road at work,” he recalls.

When he arrived, the baby was unresponsive and had stopped breathing. After performing back blows and rescue breaths, Mike was able to clear the obstruction and restore the baby’s breathing; the child made a full recovery.

“However, I think the proudest moment of my career so far with the CVFD was during three-month period last spring when the department was presented with three separate house fires in which residents were unable to get out of their houses. The members of our department entered each home and rescued all three residents—and all three have made full recoveries. As a member and officer, I have never been more proud to serve with the organization than during that time period.

“Being a member of the department,” he adds, “is similar to having an extended family, where everyone is there for the same purpose, to serve the community and help each other. I recently purchased a house in town, and it needed a substantial amount of work. I had numerous members who were there daily, helping me get projects done so that I could move into my new house.”

Many Clinton residents, says Mike, would be surprised to learn that their fire department is a volunteer organization.

“There are a lot of residents in town who think we are paid. I think residents would also be surprised at the amount of time that members spend training in order to stay proficient. Every Monday night, members participate in training, and there are many other nights and weekends when training takes place. For members to remain certified as interior firefighters, they have to meet minimum training standards both quarterly and annually.”

The CVFD has 123 volunteers in its ranks.

For Mike, the greatest challenge to being deputy fire chief is time management.

“In addition to my responsibilities as deputy chief, the department responds to over 1,800 calls a year, which takes an enormous amount of time. There’s always more that needs to be done, so it’s important that I manage my time. I also have a full-time job with responsibilities, and there are always family and friends. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I try to squeeze in time for myself.”

Mike’s downtime is simple: “I like to just spend time with my friends and family. There is a group of us who try to have dinner at least one Sunday a month. It’s all men and women from the firehouse and their families, and we call it family dinner. We just have a cookout and maybe a campfire and relax.”

For more information, visit the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page or call 860-669-8131.