FIREHOUSE ROAD

Rachel Innella, Firefighter, Rescue Diver
Highland Lake Fire Department
Years in Service: 6
Occupation: Caseworker, Sullivan County Adult Protective Services

 

Rachel Innella’s husband was the first member of the Innella household to join the Highland Lake Fire Department. It was 2016, and his goal was to learn to dive and join the Sullivan County Dive and Rescue Team. A year later their daughter Audrey, wanted to join, too. 

 

“Her high school required volunteer hours for graduation and she was interested in diving, too,” Innella says. “I didn’t want to be left out and was a little nervous about my daughter diving, so I joined with her. We both took open water classes together and became certified divers.”

 

Audrey went on to college, and Rachel Innella went on to take exterior, interior and EVOC classes. And she’s the treasure of both the fire department and the dive team, and helps run the department’s social media account.

 

“The firehouse,” she says, “Became my second family.”