10/07/2025
🔥 Meet the Crew: Firefighter Kirk Siedentopf🔥
Meet Firefighter Kirk Siedentopf, who joined the Madison Valley Rural Fire Department on June 1, 2020.
Kirk was born in Hayward, California on December 7th 1968, and grew up in the small town of Sebastopol, just west of Santa Rosa. He and his wife Denise, who also proudly serves on the fire department, moved to the Madison Valley in 2020 after falling in love with the area during a vacation a few years earlier. They came here planning to retire, but as Kirk says, “We just aren’t doing it very well!”
Kirk and Denise have been married for almost 35 years and share a big, loving family: son DJ (wife Brittany and granddaughter Chloe), daughter Samantha (husband Seth and grandsons Trevor and Tanner), and foster daughters Jasmine and Timber.
Before joining MVRFD, Kirk worked as a garbageman for 25 years on the Northern California coast and also spent 15 years at Costco. Today, he works at Madison Valley Medical Center as an EMT, where he’s been for nearly three years, and also serves as a snowplow operator and highway worker for the State of Montana.
Firefighting runs deep in Kirk’s family, his father served for 30 years in Hayward, and his brother is also currently with MVRFD. The devastating 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, which destroyed over 5,600 structures, was a turning point for Kirk. Witnessing firefighters from all over the state come together to battle the blaze inspired him to follow in his family’s footsteps and give back to his community.
Though he began with no prior firefighting experience, Kirk completed the fire academy at age 53, proving that it’s never too late to learn something new. He’s also a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, an EMT with multiple certifications, and has held a commercial driver’s license since age 18.
When asked what he enjoys most about being part of MVRFD, Kirk highlights the camaraderie and family atmosphere, whether it’s community events like the Fourth of July parade and pancake breakfast, or the teamwork that follows every call. He especially loves visiting local schools during Fire Prevention Week, seeing the excitement in kids’ faces as they meet firefighters, deputies, and veterans.
Kirk’s service with MVRFD even inspired him to pursue his EMT certification, which led to a full-time position at MVMC. His advice for anyone interested in joining the department:
“Make as many trainings as you can, especially while on probation. Watch and learn from others, find a role where the department needs more people trained, become good at it, and then find another.”
Though he jokes that he doesn’t have much time for hobbies, Kirk enjoys FaceTiming his grandkids and taking short drives with his wife to enjoy the beauty of the Madison Valley.
Thank you, Firefighter Siedentopf, for your dedication, service, and heart for this community! 🚒❤️
