Jamie Valyou brings a career of firefighting to Charlotte

Jamie Valyou was on a path toward work as an accountant when a classmate at Burlington Technical Center needed a lift. That good deed led to a career in firefighting and his current position as director of emergency services for Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

On the bus coming home from the tech center, one of Valyou’s classmates, a volunteer for the Underhill Jericho Fire Department, was paged to help put out a grass fire. His classmate didn’t have a car, so Valyou drove him to the fire station to pick up his gear and then to the scene of the blaze.

Uninspired by his accounting studies, Valyou watched the crew at work and was inspired. He subsequently applied to the Underhill Jericho department and was hired for their junior program.

“It changed my life,” Valyou said. “I took the basic firefighter classes and very quickly I knew it was something I wanted to do.”

Valyou found a college in New Hampshire that offered a degree in fire science and got a live-in position with a nearby fire department.

Associate’s degree in hand, Valyou focused on getting a job in Burlington, and at the age of 21, he was hired by the department. He spent 10 years as a firefighter, eight as a lieutenant, five as a captain and then two years as battalion chief. During that time, he continued to take classes. “I never stopped learning,” he said.

After more than 26 years in Burlington, Valyou was eligible to retire and was ready for a change. “I had progressed through all the ranks,” he said. “I was fulfilled with what I was doing, but I was at what I thought was the end of the road in that organization.”

He feels still fairly young at 47 and still has the passion for fire and emergency medical service.

After seeing the posting for the Charlotte position, Valyou decided to investigate. He had not had any professional interaction with the Charlotte force, so he drove around town, stopping at locations like town hall, the senior center, the post office, the marina and Spear’s Corner Store asking about Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

Valyou decided to apply, recognizing there had been no chief for about a year and some significant turnover before that. As a battalion chief and shift commander in Burlington, Valyou had been in charge of 27 fire fighters, which is roughly the size of the Charlotte force.

“I had a great experience meeting people during the interview process,” Valyou said. “It was very comfortable and welcoming.”

Although Burlington gets just under 11,000 calls a year and Charlote averages 600-800, Valyou felt that he had something to offer. The lower volume gives him time to focus on areas of improvement.

Valyou and his wife of 22 years have three sons whose sporting events take up much of his spare time. He also enjoys hiking, snowshoeing and hunting. He recently closed a pressure-washing business he had run for 24 years.

Valyou hopes to help Charlote fire and rescue department grow. He notes that in the past, the two parts of the organization were separate entities.

“I really want to bring those two together as one unified well-oiled machine that is working cohesively together,” he said. “They have improved over the years, but there is still a little bit of separation.”

Valyou also hopes to update some outdated policies and standard operating guidelines.

Valyou said there are a number of things that Charlotte Fire and Rescue can be proud of. He describes the squad as a very proactive organization, filled with mostly young people whose “energy is very addictive.”

Valyou has been impressed by the staff he is overseeing: “Charlotte Fire and Rescue is full of people who want to be here, want to learn, want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, want to help the community, and grow as one.”