Author’s Note: I am on a journey to meet and learn about the men and women who serve in various public safety roles in our communities. In the third installment of ‘Behind the Badge’, we speak to Victoria Fire Service Deputy Chief Michael Belt. He has been with the department for 27 years and has held various positions during his tenure.
Michael Belt was born in Independence, a small town in southeastern Kansas. He lived in Oklahoma before moving to Frankfurt, Germany with his parents.
Berto’s father was a military man, so he moved around a lot when he was a child. When Belt reached middle school, his family moved from Germany to Texas.
“I see it very differently than a lot of people because I’ve seen so many different things,” Belt says. “When we lived overseas, it was the height of the Cold War. At that age, you knew what communism was and how it affected things.”
After moving to Texas, Belt began working in the Woodland area. During that time, he qualified as a paramedic and began volunteering with local fire and paramedic services. His girlfriend at the time (now his wife) encouraged him to pursue firefighting and EMT work as a full-time career.
“The excitement and joy of doing it was really the driving force,” Belt says. “It felt like they were going to work, but they weren’t actually working. If they have that feeling that work isn’t really work, they know they’re in the right place. I say.”
Mr Belt said his favorite part of his role at Victoria Fire Service was the people he worked with.
“What’s unique about the fire department is that we do everything together,” Belt said. “We are all one entity. We never do anything alone. One of the golden rules of firefighting is two ins and two outs. You can’t go anywhere without a partner. Working at the fire department is like a family. You spend 24 hours with someone, and on your two days off you spend time together, fixing someone’s house or going fishing. It’s a great atmosphere.”
As Deputy Chief, Belt helps advance the vision of the fire department. This includes responding to issues that start with the city council and trickle down to various departments such as fire and emergency services.
“Council starts with a broad goal of what it wants to see. City managers hone in on how to interpret that and how that could potentially happen.” ,” says Belt. “Then it falls on the police chief, the fire chief, the courts and every department, and we make it a priority to meet those goals.”
Berto says he loves Victoria, but there’s one thing that particularly catches his attention during the year.
“My favorite activity all year long, and my family’s favorite activity, is the Christmas parade,” Belt says. “We’ve never missed a Christmas parade. My extended family comes from out of town and my wife’s family from all over the state, and we go out. It’s really amazing. It gives us that small-town feel. We’re actually not that small, even though it may feel like it. The people here are great.”
During her time in Victoria, Belt has found the community members to be kind and dedicated.
“For the most part, you can walk around and interact with anyone on the street,” Belt says.
