Bob Heldreth: Busy … Answering the Call

Wheeling’s Bob Heldreth is a man of many talents. He’s a fighter of fires, a saver of lives, a bringer of the funny, and even lord of the dance?

That last one is debatable, depending on which local supermarket owning family you are asking. But one thing is for certain; Bob Heldreth may be the hardest working man in Wheeling. And, he’s usually doing it with a smile.

A 2000 graduate of Wheeling Park, Heldreth set off to West Liberty to study broadcast journalism. He planned on an exciting career in television and worked part-time at WTRF as a videographer.

He also worked as a volunteer firefighter in nearby Clearview. More than once Heldreth’s beeper went off during class, and, without hesitation, he took off to answer the call. Call it foreshadowing if you will, but early on Heldreth’s desire to help others was evident.

Heldreth opted for civil service and took the fire test after meeting his future wife and realizing being a family man was in his future. He officially joined the Wheeling FD in 2007 and currently serves as a lieutenant.

Never one to settle for one job, Heldreth also works for Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration as its marketing director. That’s in addition to the hours he dedicates to the community and charitable pursuits.

In short, Heldreth cares. He cares about his wife, and the two both work diligently to provide a loving home for their daughter.  He also cares about people. His life’s work is proof enough of that.

He’s willing to head out that door and risk life and limb for his neighbors. It’s not a call many are willing to answer, but it’s one Heldreth is happy to pick up.

How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a firefighter? You were a volunteer while going through college and during your days at WTRF. Was videography what you planned to do until you got on with Wheeling FD, or did you set out to go into news and then decide later to make a career out of fire service?

I joined some friends in becoming members of the Clearview Volunteer Fire Department in 1998, but I had always thought my career would be in TV. After graduating high school in 2000, I started the Broadcast Communications program at West Liberty while also working part-time at WTRF as a videographer. During that time, I responded to a mutual aid structure fire at Wheeling Station with the Wheeling Fire Department. Assistant Chief Mike Zambito said he liked my work ethic and told me I should take the next Wheeling Fire test. After college, I went full-time at WTRF, which is where I also met the woman who would become my wife. I really wanted to stay local, but I wasn’t making enough to build a life here, so I took the next civil service fire test. In 2007, I finally got my call from the department and got married a few months later.

Is it tough to handle working 24-hour shifts, especially given your other job, community work, and family?

For the last 13 years I have worked 100+ hours a week. I have always had a second job – first selling copiers and printing, and more recently, when I’m not at the firehouse, I’m at Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, where I’m the marketing director. Some guys say the second job is a curse; you get used to the extra income, and you can’t go back. I couldn’t imagine only working the 10-day a month fire department schedule; my wife says I can’t sit still.

I have been a firefighter for my daughter’s entire life. She knows each morning by the uniform I’m wearing whether I’ll be back home that night or not until after 5 p.m. the next day. Since I’m always on call for both jobs, it’s not unusual for me to leave for a few hours in the middle of the night. When Addy wakes up in the morning,and I’m looking a little rough, she has no idea that I left and worked all night. My family is used to my crazy schedule because it’s all they’ve ever known.

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You handle a ton of calls as an EMT in addition to fire calls. In both instances, there is a very real possibility that you will have someone’s life in your hands. Do you ever need to sit and decompress after a call of those types of situations, especially if it’s a large fire or life-or-death medical emergency?

After any call, the only thing you can reflect on is that you did everything in your knowledge and ability to save a person’s life

PTSD is very real in the fire service. For me personally, I think time heals most wounds, but I am fortunate to have a good support system in my coworkers, and we can all lean on each other after serious calls. I’m also Local 12’s Vice President and have worked to ensure that our members have access to the resources they need when it comes to handling the stress of the job. We see an excessive amount of death and suffering – without properly addressing our feelings, it can lead down a dark path.  

You’re also really involved in the community. How do you make time for that, and why is it so important to you?

I really like my city. We have so many wonderful things going on despite being such a small town. It’s also just a lot of fun to be involved with things like Dancing With the Ohio Valley Stars, the Lip Sync Challenge, and helping the United Way with the Night at the Races fundraiser.

I also try to do as much as I can to connect the Wheeling Fire Department to our community, including the planning and construction of our Fallen Firefighter Memorial, raising money for Augusta Levy after their fire, our yearly Night Before Christmas video (which is read by firefighters), and our annual Guns and Hoses hockey game with the Wheeling Police Department.

You’ve always had a great sense of humor and seem to balance the serious side with the goofy side, as anyone who witnessed your banter with fellow Dancing With the Ohio Valley Stars contestant Brian Riesbeck can attest. Is that your normal MO, but you’re able to flip the switch once that alarm goes off, and it’s go time? If so, does that make it easier to focus on the task at hand and not get caught up in the danger aspect of it?

First, I’d like the record to show that Brian Riesbeck is my arch nemesis, and the only thing that helps me sleep at night is knowing that I’m a better dancer than he is. I like humor, and I like to make people laugh. My wife says I tell complicated jokes. My daughter loves my dad jokes and puns. As I have risen through the ranks at the fire department, sometimes I think I’ve told too many jokes. But, like they say: If you laugh at your own joke, it must be funny. At the firehouse, humor is sometimes a good way to deal with stress and even tragedy. Although, when the bell rings, it’s time to get serious.