John Buccieri always wanted to serve the fire department. There was just one thing holding him back: He's deaf.

"I'm basically the same as everyone else. I just can't hear," Buccieri said Friday through his sign language interpreter, Deborah Flagg.

Buccieri, 39, is the father of two boys and is a full-time equipment operator at Georgia Pacific. He said his goal is to become a state-certified professional firefighter. For now, he said, he's excited to be a part of Marion County Fire Rescue as a support-level volunteer.

Bill Newman, Buccieri's supervisor at Georgia Pacific, added that Buccieri is a good communicator and works well with others. "John is an individual you can count on to get the job done," said Newman.

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