Volunteer firefighter and business owner balances two passions

May 23, 2026 - 01:17

Growing up watching her father race out the door to fight fires, Gracee Walker knew she would one day follow in his footsteps. Now a Cherokee Nation citizen, she serves as a second-generation volunteer firefighter with the Keys Fire Department while also running her own business.

Walker says the two roles demand different kinds of energy but feed the same drive to serve her community. As a volunteer, she responds to emergencies at all hours, often leaving her business tasks behind without notice. The unpredictability, she admits, can be tough. But the sense of purpose keeps her coming back.

Her father, a longtime firefighter, never pushed her into the work. He simply led by example. Walker recalls watching him come home exhausted but satisfied, knowing he had helped someone through the worst moment of their day. That quiet dedication inspired her to join the department as soon as she was old enough.

Running a business requires a different kind of discipline. Walker manages inventory, handles customer requests, and keeps the books balanced. She says the organizational skills she learned as a firefighter help her stay calm when things get chaotic at work.

Balancing both roles means sacrificing sleep and social time. But Walker does not see it as a burden. She describes it as a privilege to protect her neighbors while also building something of her own. Her advice to others considering volunteer firefighting is simple: if you have the heart for it, the time will find a way.