Highlighting Heroes: Captain Marcus Dykes
With a mother who served with the Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department and a grandfather whose life was tragically lost working as a Kingsport Fire Captain, firefighting has been a part of Captain Marcus Dykes’ life since the very beginning.
“Coming out of high school, I wasn’t sure exactly what direction I wanted to go with my life,” said Dykes. “But, as I made connections with firemen through my mom, firefighting really started to come into focus for me, and at that point I knew I was all in.”
Dykes attended EMT school after high school and worked as a firefighter at Holston Defense before being hired at the Kingsport Fire Department in 2001. In the last two decades, he has worked hard to achieve the two career ambitions he held upon entering the force: becoming a certified paramedic and being promoted to Captain.
This October will mark 21 years that Captain Dykes has been with the Kingsport Fire Department, a milestone that is significant to him because his grandfather had spent 21 years with the KFD at the time of his death.
“It’s surreal to know that I’ve been here as long as him, and served as a captain like he did,” said Dykes. “With age, the feeling of wanting to make him proud has come more and more into focus.”
Dykes’ philosophy when it comes to being a successful firefighter is simple: preparation matters. Fire crews face a multitude of hazards on every call, from entering unsafe structures to navigating emergency traffic, and Dykes believes that those who understand the risks they’re facing are best equipped to handle them. From staying up to date on safety certifications to completing daily cleaning and maintenance around the fire station, he believes that each piece of a firefighter’s routine can be crucial to keeping them safe and prepared in an emergency situation.
Working as the captain of a fire station is a high-intensity job that comes with both difficulties and rewards. Dykes says that, as captain, he feels a responsibility for the lives of those in emergencies as well as the lives of his own crew members. Potential life-threatening emergencies can come at a moment’s notice, and as the highest ranking member of his crew, Captain Dykes holds a great amount of responsibility for navigating these complicated situations. To him, however, the pride he feels in being a public servant helping those in need far outweighs the job’s difficulties.
“I really feel like this is what I was always meant to do,” he said.
Captain Marcus Dykes is a firefighter, paramedic, and a true hero for the Kingsport community. The work that he does saves lives and helps people in their time of greatest need. He is a lifelong protector of the City of Kingsport and will continue to further his family’s legacy of public service for many years to come.
