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Robert McDonald is volunteer firefighter of the year
In an average year, Robert McDonald estimates that he spends about 200 hours with the Woodbridge Fire District.
That's not a ton of time compared to a full-time job, but there are a few catches: McDonald has another full-time job, a family and his fire time is mostly volunteer work.
"It's my fun stuff. I wouldn't even care if I got paid for it," McDonald said.
He has been named volunteer firefighter of the year, a way to recognize him for the work he does, said Fire Chief Mike Kirkle.
McDonald oversees the firefighters association breakfast, ran a fund-raiser for a firefighter who needed open heart surgery and spends shifts at the Flag City station.
The 51-year-old has worked a day job for 22 years as a maintenance technician for Comcast cable.
But since 1990 he's been volunteering for fire agencies. He started at Stockton Fire, then went to Delta Fire for several years. When they merged with Woodbridge Fire, he continued volunteering, and has done so with Woodbridge for five years.
He lives in Stockton with his wife, Jennifer, and has two daughters in the medical field: Krista is in Sacramento at nursing school and Tia just finished phlebotomy school and starts work at St. Joseph's Hospital next week.

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