Firefighter Appreciation: ABC7 salutes longtime Marin firefighter who went from ‘farm to firehouse’

TOMALES, Calif. (KGO) — September is National Firefighter Appreciation Month and all month long, ABC7 News is saluting Bay Area firefighters and the important job they do. This week, we honor a longtime Marin County fire captain who traded a career on his family’s dairy farm for the job he loves.

Marin County Fire Captain Tom Nunes is starting another shift at the Tomales fire station.

“This is my 34th year as a career firefighter, we tend to be a humble bunch,” said Marin County Fire Department Captain Tom Nunes.

It’s a job that’s taken Nunes all across the Bay Area and the state, battling major wildfires.

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“You’re showing up to make order out of chaos, we show up to do the best we can in any given moment, It says fire department on the door, it should say problem solving department, ultimately that’s what we’re there to do,” said Nunes.

Captain Nunes, jumped behind the wheel of a backhoe in Point Reyes in 2019 clearing debris so that fire crews could access a barn fire.

Nunes not only works in West Marin, he grew up here.

“I grew up in a dairy ranching family, fantastic childhood, I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” said Nunes.

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The Nunes Family Dairy, five generations of Portuguese dairy farmers, a career Nunes was headed for but the fire service was calling.

“After my first season working with the fire department, that clicked for me. I remember telling my father, this speaks to me, to his credit he said ok, tell us how we can support you,” Nunes added.

Since that talk with his dad, it’s been a firefighting career of highs and lows, with no sleep and sometimes M&M’s for breakfast. We asked Nunes what makes Firefighter Appreciation Month so special. He says a simple gesture of thanks can mean everything.

“When we see carboard signs on overpasses or nailed to a tree what the kids do, saying we appreciate you guys, that’s huge, that’s what keeps us going,” he said.