"Volunteers don't necessarily have the time; they just have the heart."

 In 1996 Matthew Stebbins went to go live with his father up in Leesburg Virginia. The next day after moving up the volunteer siren for the town went off and Matthew asked his father what that was. His Father explained about the volunteer fire department. The next day, he and his father went down to the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Department and found out that they had a junior firefighter program. Matthew joined as quick as he could.  From that point on, Matthew was full into wanting to be nothing but a firefighter. Matthew went directly into Fire School immediately after graduating High School. 

 Hired in 2001 by Altamonte Springs Fire Department which after about a year was absorbed by Seminole County Fire Department Matthew worked for over 16 years as a professional firefighter. Matthew left the Fire Department in at the end 2016 to pursue real estate but something in his heart left him feeling like he wanted to be a part of the fire department so, he joined Merritt Island volunteer fire department in June of 2019 and with his skill, expertise and training moved up through the ranks, becoming a valuable member and leader of the Merritt Island Volunteer Fire Department today.