For many, retirement means slowing down. But for former Firefighter Paramedic Alan Jones, it simply meant finding a new way to answer the call.
Alan first discovered Operation BBQ Relief (OBR) in a way that many disaster survivors and first responders do – through a simple act of comfort. Before retiring from the fire department, he participated in a Tunnel to Towers Run in Clearwater, Florida. At the end of the race, OBR handed him a sandwich. That small gesture sparked a connection, and by December 2021, Alan officially joined the OBR family as a volunteer.
“After 27 and a half years as a Firefighter Paramedic, I still wanted to help people,” Alan said. “OBR was the best way to do it.”
Living in Florida, Alan has seen firsthand the destruction that severe storms leave in their wake. He knows that when disaster strikes, the road to recovery is long and incredibly difficult.
“When resources are hard to come by,” Alan said. “They need us. Feeding people is LOVE!”
Through the devastation, however, Alan has also witnessed the incredible power of community. During last year’s deployment efforts to assist Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, the local response was nothing short of inspiring. When the City of Pinellas Park asked for volunteers, 90 city employees showed up in a single day to help box meals. Additionally, over 40 students from the Pinellas Park High School First Responder Academy and Public Safety Academy stepped up to serve.
For Alan, these moments are what volunteering is all about.
“You truly see the good in people,” he said. “Between our OBR volunteers, community partners, and the local youth, it just renews your faith in people.”
Thank you, Alan, for your 27+ years of public service, your unwavering dedication to OBR, and for reminding us all that a hot meal is so much more than food – it’s love.
