FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Nov. 25, 2014) -- Unlike most people, Fort Jackson's assistant fire chief visits the place of his birth almost daily -- it's his job. David Hartness, assistant chief with the Fort Jackson Fire Department, was born at the Fort Jackson U.S. Army Hospital in 1957, which was in the same location where Hartness' work place, the current fire station, is now located.
Hartness, whose father was in the Army, has spent his entire life close to Fort Jackson.
"When my parents got married, James and Maria Hartness, this was their first duty assignment," he said. "Since I was an infant at the time I could not receive a lot of the vaccinations to go with my father on his other assignments, so my mother and I stayed here."
He said he remembers receiving treatment at the hospital as a young boy.
"I remember lying down with all these devices hooked up to me," he said. "I had an open wound on my leg from a bad car accident, and I remember seeing the sun light shining through the cracks of the wood building."
Hartness served as a volunteer firefighter on post and was later hired as a temporary firefighter in 1986. He said in those days the fire department was instructed to burn down a lot of the old World War II buildings for new construction. He remembers being a part of the team of fire fighters that burned down the hospital.
"When we burned down that hospital, it was more like a bitter sweet thing," he said. "While we were burning the building down I did have a moment to reflect on the fact that I was born here."
Hartness said the reason for burning down the buildings was that it was easier and cheaper for engineers to pick up ashes than old wood construction debris.
Another building that was burned down at the time was one of the old fire station, before the department moved to its current location.
"It felt different when we first moved into the new fire station, just because it didn't feel like the old fire station. You know an old shoe still fits comfortably," he said. "I can remember the smell on the first day when we moved in here. Everything just smelled new."
He said Fort Jackson and the fire department have changed a lot in the years he's been working here.
"Over the years, we have become more technically proficient whereas in the old days we were pulling hose and fighting fires," Hartness said. "Now we are hazmat technicians, emergency medical technicians, high angle rescue and much more. We welcomed the changes. We adjusted quickly."
Hartness will celebrate his 30th anniversary as a civilian firefighter on post Jan. 16.
"For close to 30 years, this has truly been an interesting ride. It has been fun," he said. "This place has been truly good to me and to family."
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