Service Above Self

Published on July 27, 2026

Firefighter Nate Powell of Engine 42 received the Rotary Club of North Charlotte’s 44th annual Community Service Above Self Award and was named a Paul Harris Fellow for his commitment to serving others.

Firefighter Nate Powell honored for a commitment that extends beyond the fireground

By Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire

When Firefighter Nate Powell stood before his fellow firefighters at Firehouse 42, he was surrounded by the people he believes deserved the recognition just as much as he did.

Moments earlier, representatives from the Rotary Club of North Charlotte presented Powell with its 44th annual Community Service Above Self Award, recognizing his remarkable service and outstanding contributions to the health, welfare and safety of the community. He was also named a Paul Harris Fellow, one of Rotary International’s highest honors, recognizing people whose work advances understanding, goodwill and service throughout the world.

Powell accepted the recognition with the same humility that has defined his career.

“I’m humbled by all of this,” he said.

Looking around the room at the firefighters who stand beside him each shift, Powell quickly redirected the attention away from himself.

“None of this would be possible without the support of my fellow firefighters,” he said. “It’s because of all of them that I received this recognition.”

Then he added what many in the room had come to expect from him.

“I feel like I don’t deserve this.”

“Nate represents the very best of Charlotte Fire,” Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson said. “His humility, compassion and commitment to serving others extend far beyond his work on Engine 42. This recognition reflects the impact he has made on his fellow firefighters, on families across our community and on everyone who has had the opportunity to know him.”

Those who know Powell would likely agree.

Firefighter Nate Powell stands beside Engine 42 at Firehouse 42, where he has built a reputation for humility, compassion and service to others.

For years, Powell has quietly built a reputation as a firefighter who serves long after the emergency ends. Whether responding to calls from Engine 42, supporting those around him or using his family’s personal journey to help others, Powell has consistently demonstrated that public service extends well beyond the fireground.

That commitment became especially visible this year through an initiative that was deeply personal.

Earlier this year, Powell and his wife, Sierra, shared the story of their son, Benjamin, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at age 2. What began as a deeply personal decision to talk openly about their family’s journey became an opportunity to educate others while raising support for children and families navigating autism.

Nate and Sierra Powell stand with their son, Benjamin, during a visit to Firehouse 42. The family shared its autism journey to encourage greater understanding and help other families feel less alone.

The Powells remember feeling alone after Benjamin’s diagnosis.

“We didn’t know anybody who knew about autism,” Powell said in an earlier interview. “We didn’t know anybody who had a family member with autism. We didn’t know anything about autism.”

Rather than keeping that experience private, the family chose to share it in hopes that another family would never feel that same isolation.

Partnering with Charlotte Fire and a local autism services provider, Powell helped launch an Autism Awareness fundraiser centered on a limited edition T-shirt campaign. The initiative resonated throughout the community, raising nearly $13,000 to support families and children on the autism spectrum.

The donation was presented during a ceremony at Firehouse 42, where Powell joined Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson in presenting the check to representatives from the organization.

The funds will help purchase communication devices and other adaptive resources for children who struggle with verbal communication, giving families access to tools that can significantly improve a child’s ability to express needs, thoughts and emotions.

For Powell, the campaign was never about raising money alone.

It was about helping another family avoid the uncertainty his own experienced years earlier.

Throughout Benjamin’s childhood, therapy has become part of everyday life. Speech therapy. Occupational therapy. Applied behavior analysis. Physical therapy. Every milestone has required patience, persistence and the support of countless professionals.

“They say it takes a village,” Powell said. “It’s taking the country at this point.”

Benjamin, now 8, has grown from a quiet toddler with limited communication into an energetic little boy who loves editing videos on his iPad, going on “adventures” with his parents and visiting his father at Firehouse 42.

Benjamin Powell embraces his father, Firefighter Nate Powell, at Firehouse 42. Their bond became the heart of the family’s effort to encourage understanding, patience and grace for children with autism.

Those experiences have shaped Powell in ways he never expected.

While the public often sees firefighters during emergencies, many never see the challenges first responders face once they return home.

For Powell, fatherhood has become another form of service.

He has become an advocate not only for Benjamin but for other families whose children live with autism. He has shared his experiences publicly, answered difficult questions and encouraged people to offer something simple that can make a tremendous difference.

Grace.

“I’m not asking anybody to educate themselves,” Powell said during his family’s earlier interview. “But at least be aware. Give a little grace.”

That willingness to share has reached families beyond Charlotte. Parents have reached out after hearing Benjamin’s story. Others have simply thanked the Powells for helping them feel less alone.

While Powell’s advocacy has become widely recognized, those closest to him say it reflects the same qualities he brings to every shift.

A willingness to help others.

Quiet leadership.

Humility.

Powell’s turnout gear and Engine 42 helmet rest on a Charlotte Fire apparatus, representing his commitment to serving the community on emergency scenes and beyond.

Those characteristics are exactly what the Rotary Club of North Charlotte has recognized through its Community Service Above Self Award for more than four decades.

Founded in 1952, the Rotary Club of North Charlotte is part of Rotary International, a global service organization representing more than 1.2 million members. Rotary clubs support humanitarian projects in communities around the world while promoting goodwill, understanding and service to others.

This marked the 44th year the North Charlotte club presented its community service award.

Firefighter Nate Powell stands with representatives from the Rotary Club of North Charlotte after receiving the Community Service Above Self Award and being named a Paul Harris Fellow at Firehouse 42.

Although the Rotary Club selected Powell for the honor, he continued to direct the recognition toward the people who supported him, including his fellow firefighters, his family and his son.

Benjamin’s journey continues, as does the Powell family’s commitment to helping others better understand autism and supporting families who may feel as alone as they once did. Autism Awareness shirts from the fundraiser remain available, allowing that work to continue.

For Powell, the most meaningful recognition is not found in a plaque or an award. It is found in watching Benjamin grow, hearing him announce, “Dad’s home,” and knowing his family’s willingness to share its story may help another child receive needed support.

The Rotary Club honored Powell for putting service above self. Powell sees it more simply. He believes he is doing what firefighters are called to do: support others, lift up those around them and serve their community.