Get to know #yourColletonFirefighter K.C. Campbell on #firefighterfriday. Captain Campbell serves as the Public Information Officer as well as the Recruitment and Retention Officer. Here is more information on Captain Campbell:
K.C. joined Colleton County Fire-Rescue as a Junior Firefighter in 2003 while attending high school. He was introduced to the fire department by the late Judge Richard Wood when K.C.’s father, the late Magistrate K.C. Campbell, was asked to help Judge Wood with a cooking fundraiser for Green Pond Volunteer Fire Department. K.C.’s father would always take K.C. with him to help with cooking events, and this one just happened to be one that influenced his future. Hearing the stories of the fellow firefighters and noting the camaraderie amongst them, he decided that he wanted to be part of it, although he would have to wait a few years. Finally, at age sixteen, he was able to join the volunteer group at Station 1. After turning eighteen, he obtained his fire certification, graduated high school, enrolled at the University of South Carolina - Aiken to pursue a nursing degree, and continued to take fire classes at night. During his sophomore year, he ran a call while on spring break that changed his career path. He decided the excitement of street medicine sounded much more appealing than being stuck inside a four walled building for twelve hours a day. He enrolled in EMT School while still attending college to pursue a degree in Applied Sciences. After graduating college, he accepted a job at the Medical University of South Carolina as an EMT for the MEDUCARE Ground Team. During his time at MUSC, he enrolled in Paramedic School. K.C. had several great mentors at MUSC, a group of people he will forever be thankful for and remember. When graduating from Paramedic School, he was awarded the David S. Bacon Jr. Award from Rescue Training Inc. This award is granted to the “Best of the Best ‘’ student, and he was credited with the highest recorded final exam score in the school’s history. He accepted a Firefighter/Paramedic position with Colleton County Fire-Rescue in 2012. Throughout his career, he has worked on both “D” Shift and 24/48 shift, with assignments at each staffed fire station in Colleton County. He obtained his Engineer and served as the “D” Shift Lieutenant. He went on to obtain his Fire Marshal license, and in 2022, he was promoted to Captain and reassigned to Headquarters. His current duties include Public Information, Recruitment and Retention, Emergency Management, and assisting the Fire Marshal and Training Divisions.
K.C. enjoys spending time with his wife, Bray, and his two sons, Bryar and Kallen. Their family has logged many miles “roadtripping,” having visited twenty-five states, so far. His most memorable trip was when they traveled from Walterboro to Colorado (by car) to visit K.C.’s grandparents when the boys were seven and one, respectively.