A Family Tradition of Service Across Three Generations
Published on February 20, 2026
Three generations of firefighters: Eric Reynolds, left, Dustin Reynolds, center, and Henry Fortson, right. The family’s fire service legacy spans Kannapolis, Concord and Charlotte
For Firefighter Dustin Reynolds, the fire service was never an abstract career path or a childhood phase. It was the backdrop of his upbringing, the rhythm of his family life and the framework through which he learned what it meant to serve others.
Reynolds, now assigned to Rescue 11 with Charlotte Fire, is a third-generation firefighter. His grandfather, Henry Fortson, volunteered with Kannapolis Fire Department from 1982 to 2002. His father, Eric Reynolds, began as a volunteer in Kannapolis before transitioning to a full-time career with Concord Fire Department, where he served from 1986 until his retirement in 2015.
For Reynolds, the family legacy is not about obligation. It is about problem-solving, purpose and a deep-rooted understanding of what it means to answer the call.
Henry Fortson volunteered with Kannapolis Fire Department from 1982 to 2002, beginning the family’s multi-generational commitment to the fire service.
Fortson joined the Kannapolis Fire Department in the mid-1980s after assisting firefighters at a nearby house fire. Friends who were already members encouraged him to join, and he did. Shortly afterward, Eric Reynolds also became part of the department. The firehouse would eventually become more than a place of service. It became the place where Reynolds’ parents met.
“My maternal grandfather and my dad were on the fire department together,” Reynolds said. “That’s how my parents met.”
Eric Reynolds served with Concord Fire Department from 1986 to 2015 after beginning his career as a volunteer in Kannapolis.
At the time, his father was working in a textile mill while volunteering. He later transitioned to a full-time role with Concord Fire Department, building a nearly three-decade career in the fire service.
Reynolds grew up immersed in that environment. He remembers riding along on volunteer calls with his father, captivated by the flashing lights and the urgency of response. His mother would take him and his brother to visit the station on days their father worked. Afternoons and evenings were often spent inside the firehouse.
“We spent a lot of time at the firehouse with Dad,” Reynolds said.
Left: As a child, Dustin Reynolds slides down a fire pole with his father. Right: Reynolds practices rope skills as a youth. Growing up around the firehouse shaped his path into the fire service.
The exposure was constant but never forced. The decision to pursue the fire service would ultimately be his own.
When it came time to choose a career, Reynolds was drawn to the unpredictability of firefighting.
“The fire department sounded great to me because it changes every day,” he said. “You never know what you’re getting into. You’re not locked in behind a desk somewhere.”
Reynolds stands in front of a Charlotte Fire apparatus at Firehouse 45. He joined Charlotte Fire in 2012 and now serves on Rescue 11.
He enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, earning a degree in fire engineering. In 2012, he joined Charlotte Fire.
Like many young firefighters, Reynolds entered the academy with momentum and ambition.
“Being younger, I had a full head of steam,” he said. “I wanted to go fight as many fires as I possibly could.”
Reynolds operates on a structure fire during winter conditions, exemplifying the unpredictable and demanding nature of the job
His first assignment was to Firehouse 38, which at the time was running fewer than 400 calls per year across all three shifts. It was not the high-volume environment he initially envisioned, but it proved to be pivotal. The slower pace allowed him to connect with specialized teams, including the dive team, and to immerse himself in the rescue community within Charlotte Fire.
After gaining seniority, Reynolds transferred to Engine 3 at the invitation of a former senior firefighter. That move deepened his involvement in technical rescue operations and strengthened his interest in specialized work. He later moved into a rescue assignment and now serves on Rescue 11.
Reynolds adjusts his helmet beside a Rescue 11 apparatus before training, preparing for the technical demands of rescue operations.
Reynolds’ interest in rescue work began even before joining Charlotte Fire. In 2010, he started volunteering with Odell Fire Rescue in Cabarrus County, where extrication calls were common.
“We ran a lot of wrecks,” he said. “Extrication was a big part of what we did there.”
He found himself drawn to the complexity of those incidents. Listening to his father talk about his days assigned to a ladder company further fueled that interest.
“I enjoy engine work. I enjoy ladder work,” Reynolds said. “The rescue kind of puts that all together for me. We get the opportunity to do a little bit of everything no matter what we pull up on.”
A close-up of Reynolds’ helmet marked “11,” representing his assignment to Rescue 11
Friends and family describe him as someone who prefers the difficult route.
“My friends and family would tell you that I like to do things the hard way and I like to do hard things,” Reynolds said. “The rescue kind of fills that itch for me. There’s always something new to learn. It never stops.”
When asked what keeps him motivated more than a decade into his career, Reynolds does not point to tradition or adrenaline. He talks about puzzles.
“It’s always a puzzle,” he said. “Especially on the rescues. We’re all problem solvers.”
Reynolds participates in rope operations training, reinforcing the technical rescue skills required on Rescue 11.
Whether responding to a medical call or a complex technical rescue, Reynolds views each incident as a scenario that requires careful assessment and coordinated execution.
“Every call you roll up on, it’s a puzzle,” he said. “If you treat it as such, you can learn something from it.”
Even routine medical calls offer opportunities for connection.
“You can take the simplest medical call and learn a lot about that person,” he said. “A lot of times you talk to someone and they’ve got really interesting stories.”
On more technical incidents, the mindset remains the same.
“The whole event is a puzzle,” Reynolds said. “It takes everybody working together to paint the whole picture and solve it.”
Members of Charlotte Fire prepare dive equipment during a winter weather response, highlighting the specialized capabilities of the rescue team.
That approach was evident during a winter storm response that could have easily escalated. On a morning marked by icy roads and deteriorating conditions, Reynolds made a comment to a colleague that they might end up in the water that day. A week earlier, another shift had responded to a dive call involving a vehicle in a pond. Given the conditions, he anticipated the possibility of a similar scenario.
Sure enough, the call came.
Charlotte Fire rescue personnel use a boat to access a vehicle in the water during a winter incident. Reynolds and his team assessed the scene and adapted to the conditions.
While he expected a full dive operation, the situation ultimately required boat operations rather than a submerged rescue. The team assessed the scene, adapted and executed the plan.
“Once we got there and saw what we had, we just did our thing and made it happen,” Reynolds said. “Thankfully it did not turn into a true dive call.”
Reynolds joined Charlotte Fire in 2012. His father retired from Concord Fire Department shortly after. For one generation, the career was winding down. For another, it was just beginning.
Firefighter Dustin Reynolds stands in turnout gear inside the apparatus bay at Firehouse 45, where he serves on Rescue 11.
The legacy that began with Henry Fortson volunteering in Kannapolis continues through Dustin Reynolds on Rescue 11. The trucks are more advanced. The techniques are more refined. The call volume is higher. But the foundation remains the same: service, teamwork and a willingness to confront difficult problems head-on.
For Reynolds, firefighting is not simply a family tradition. It is a calling shaped by three generations and carried forward one call at a time.