From Volunteer Firefighter To County Fire Marshal: Kevin Waldrup’s 40-Year Journey

What makes a hometown hero? We shine a light on retired Henderson County Fire Marshal Kevin Waldrup, whose journey from a 17-year-old volunteer to a county leader reveals how quiet, consistent work keeps an entire community safe. Alongside a concise spring real estate update—tight inventory, steady demand, and thoughtful timing—we explore the human side of transitions: the moments when families outgrow a home, choose to right-size, or move closer to what matters most.

Kevin opens the door on the real work of a fire marshal: meticulous inspections for schools, summer camps, group homes, and local businesses; careful fire investigations that turn hard lessons into prevention; and coordinated support for departments during major incidents. He explains how modern fire codes grew from past tragedies, why sprinklers and alarms shrink today’s fires, and how clear exits protect both occupants and first responders. We revisit high-stakes memories—from major commercial fires to the sleepless hours inside the emergency operations center during Helene—showing how resilience blends training, logistics, and trust between agencies.

Teaching threads through Kevin’s legacy. Many firefighters he instructed now lead teams of their own, proof that education scales safety across decades. That same clarity matters in real estate: when interest rates shift and listings rise with spring, informed choices turn stressful changes into confident moves. Whether you’re assessing a building’s risk or a home’s value, preparation and honest guidance make all the difference.

Listen for practical insight, heartfelt gratitude, and a reminder that communities are built by people who show up—checking alarms, mentoring rookies, and helping neighbors find the right next home. If the conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can discover stories that strengthen Western North Carolina.

Transcript

Show Introduction And Milestones

SPEAKER_01 0:00

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating ten years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating ten years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 1005 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 845, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show. It's 8.45, and it's time to talk about our George Real Estate Group, Hometown Hero, this week. Every week we get together with Noah George and we uh we talk hometown heroes and we tell a few real estate stories too, don't we, Noah?

SPEAKER_02 1:01

We do, and happy Friday again. Grateful to be here every Friday morning sponsoring the Hometown Hero series.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

How is the uh real estate market? I mean, we're getting closer and closer to spring, the official spring, and everybody says spring is for real estate. So tell us more about it.

Life Changes Drive Real Estate Decisions

SPEAKER_02 1:20

Well, this time of year, I mean, things are selling year round, and certainly activity picks up during the during the spring market, but our market has been so steady, and we're so thankful for that. And I know the people are thankful for the interest rates coming down, but in specifically in Henderson County, we have low inventory, but we're gonna see a lot more traditionally come on the market in the spring. Uh demand has been steady. In fact, and I've shared this before, in 2025 we saw a 10% increase in the number of single-family homes sold in Henderson County compared to 2024. So, I mean, our market is steady, and we know life happens, therefore real estate happens. So it's a privilege and honor to help our clients navigate through real estate as life happens, and it's usually the biggest financial transaction our clients will do in their lifetime. And so we love helping our clients navigate through real estate.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Truly, uh, when you guys become involved, you you've stepped in at a time when folks can be at a crossroads of uh changing locations and lives and houses and everything.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

That's right. It's uh or a new family uh you know, a a new family or a growing family, or maybe it's a retirement. You know, I mean there's different reasons why why people buy and sell.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

And every one of those is a very emotional time, and you guys are sensitive to that at the George Real Estate group.

SPEAKER_02 2:54

We are, and again, sometimes it's a big celebration and it's a and it's an amazing, and sometimes we have the challenging moments. It could be a uh a death or a a divorce or a job loss. I mean, life happens, and so we are sensitive to the the beautiful, exciting, celebratory reasons and the the sensitive, you know, challenging moments. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

So and you guys are in Flat Rock, North Carolina, but you're everywhere, really.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

We serve all of Western North Carolina. We have over a hundred years combined experience, and just grateful. This is my 21st year uh with my North Carolina broker's license, and and we love helping our clients.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Fantastic. Noah, thank you for sponsoring the uh hometown hero show with us. Uh Kevin Waldrup is I guess I can say No, he's not still the really the Henderson County fire marshal, are you? Uh you've you've retired by now, huh?

First Days Of Retirement

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Yes, sir, I have. I um I retired last week or first of this week.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

So Well, how was the first day of retirement? And when you uh I mean, I I know this gotta be a busy, busy day for you.

Path From Volunteer To Fire Marshal

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Yes, it is. Uh but it's it's different. Uh first day of retirement, I didn't really know how to act, to be honest. I'm used to going going to work for so long, you know. But it's it's a it's a pleasure to um to sit back and and relax in the mornings and uh plenty of day.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Henderson County Fire Marshal. Uh how many of those thirty years have you been with uh have you been the fire marshal?

SPEAKER_00 4:34

You um so I've actually just been the fire marshal for ten.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Uh but I had uh a stint from 2004 to 2008 that I was assistant fire marshal here in Henderson County. So I had almost 14 years total with the county.

SPEAKER_02 4:51

But let's back up. When how old were you when you first started volunteering as a firefighter?

SPEAKER_00 4:57

I think I was 17. I joined as uh uh as a volunteer firefighter at Edgeville Fire Department in December of 1981.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

And uh just counting a little bit, um I beat out Sheriff Griffin for that because I beat uh he he joined three months later, so I'm three months uh more uh uh his senior and joining the fire department.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

So you make him call you sir every now and then.

SPEAKER_00 5:28

In December of 81, he joined in March of 82. What about that?

SPEAKER_01 5:32

Yeah, thank you to both of you guys. Uh Edny uh Bill Fire Department's very active fire department, and uh uh have you, I'm sure, kept in touch with them through the years?

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Oh yeah, actually I'm still uh I'm still an active member me and Chef Griffin both are, and uh we're both on the on the board of directors there still, so we're still active with with with Edneville.

What A Fire Marshal Actually Does

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Yeah. And then came along the uh fire marshal's job. So uh give us a definition of that job and what it entails.

Why Inspections And Codes Save Lives

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Okay. Well, I actually started out as a career firefighter before I got to the fire marshal's office, but um fire marshal's office is um we do a variety of things. I've always told people throughout my career it looks like we're just riding around the roads and not doing anything, but uh we're actually doing uh we do all the the fire safety inspections for um all the commercial businesses in Henderson County, um and and uh Laurel Park and Flat Rock and uh Town Wills River as well. Um we have to inspect um high schools twice a year, all the summer camps in the summer, uh foster group homes, you know, that kind of thing. So it's a full plate on on the inspections. Um the fire marshal's office also uh conducts any fire investigations that the fire chiefs so deem that they need help with for structures or cars or anything. Uh so we're we're all you know we always do a liaison with all twelve uh county departments uh and help them in any way. If if they have a big fire, big event, we go and just help with manpire or whatever. If it's not, you know, just however we can, because you know all the all the fire departments are somewhat shorthanded and need and need help. So we help them in any way we can, uh either operationally or administratively. And um uh then of course we're t we're also tied in with um with emergency management in in the same buildings. We also do some emergen emergency management tasks, like you know, helping with searches or or uh you know working in the EOC if it's a storm and uh emergency operations centers uh uh uh established. So it's a it's a pretty full plate.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

Yes, it is. And how many people are uh in your department, Kevin?

SPEAKER_00 8:00

Uh so you got the fire marshal and you have a deputy fire marshal and two assistant fire marshals, and then we have an auxiliary inspector that helps us do some inspections. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

Okay, so all of you stay busy doing all of those things, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

But but you're so involved in the community. I mean, your boots on the ground in the local businesses and the the camps, I mean, it's a critical role in how you're this liaison between you know fire safety in our community, and uh it's it's it's important.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

Yes, it is important, and it's uh um, you know, with the inspections and stuff, I know some some folks think well that's kind of a hassle, but uh the way the fire code was written was was uh and developed was by injuries or deaths that uh actually occurred in fires, and that's the way it was developed. So the stuff that the inspectors are looking at, you know, are are things uh not only to keep the occupants safe, you know, in a building, but also if they have a fire and a firefighters have to come in, they're also that's also part of it that to try to keep a firefighter safe, you know, with exits and stuff if if there happen to be a fire in that structure.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

I see, I see.

Big Fires, Storms, And Community Response

SPEAKER_02 9:18

And have you seen, I'm sure over the last you know, forty some years in the fire, how that fire code has evolved or changed.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Yes. Uh yes, yes. It's uh of course it's more s more strenuous now than than it used to be back in the eighties or nineties. Um uh but we we we also seem to have smaller fires now because of some of the uh standards, you know. And the preventative measures with the sprinkers and and smoke detectors and you know, and and and it's saved some lives as well, uh, with with with some of the safety features that are uh are required today that didn't used to be.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

You've uh probably in uh in your many years involved in firefighting, uh probably remember some uh major fires in our area.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Yes, I I I have uh I do remember some. I like I say I was a volunteer in Edianville since '81, and I actually started my career in Bunkham County in 1993, so that's when I actually started my career firefighting, was in 1993. Um but we've um I was I was around back in the 80s, you know, we had a we had a lot of bigger fires and stuff. Um around had some packing house fires that that I remember. Um uh I actually um was promoted to to chief of Edenville Fire Department in 1992, I believe it was. Well right after that we had uh a big um Blizzard. We had the blizzard right off the bat and uh yeah, uh did that in the first three months, I think, of of my tenure. We also had a uh a big packing house or uh uh a major commercial fire out in Ediville at the at the s right before the blizzard.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

So um you and uh you came into it running this in it.

Pride In Teaching The Next Generation

SPEAKER_00 11:23

I did that. I didn't have any grace period on any on uh uh when I started that. And we've had um uh some um you know I remember the I remember way back in the in in I believe it was 86, the Sharnock uh uh search that they had back in the day. We helped with that in Edgeville. Um I could say some packing house fires. Um of course uh Helene. Helene, Helene, yes. Uh of course I was at the fire marshal's office for Helene, so so um I worked in the EOC. I didn't I didn't get out in the field originally for the first couple of three days. We was working of course twenty-four hours in the in emergency operations center, but then uh then I did go down to Batcave and assist uh those folks down there for a few days as well with operations and during Helene with that. Where we were the worst hit, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:22

Did you did you ever think when you started you'd you would serve as long as you did in this capacity?

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Not really. And it's uh it's it's pie super quick. I mean, really. It's uh it don't seem like I've been doing this this long. Um except when I look at all the other firefighters and they look like they're so young. They're kids, right?

SPEAKER_02 12:43

Yeah, that that that tells me, but um but no, I didn't think I'd be doing it this long and uh uh really didn't think about it, but I just um Well you were faithful you were faithful to do it this long and we're so thankful for the impact you've had on the community. Thank you, kid. Is there a moment you're that comes out as the most proud moment you might have over the years and something that sticks out to you in in in your time of service?

Farewell, Thanks, And How To Listen

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Um I guess one of the one of the proudest things I used to teach quite a lot uh through the through the community colleges and stuff, and and it is a good feeling when some of the younger firefighters come up and say, you know, you taught me my first fire behavior class, or you taught me uh this or that. And um and I had a uh a few junior firemen come up that have really done well in the fire service and are chiefs different places or whatnot. So I I kind of feel like I'm I'm I might have had a little something to do with with with training them and getting them in the in that in that track.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

So I understand that. Sure you did. Well guys, thank you. Uh Kevin, we sure do appreciate uh everything from you for many, many years and and uh congratulate you sincerely on your retirement and wish you the very best. Thank you. Thank you very much. If we can ever help you in any way, let us know. Thank you. All right, Noah, we've got to run. We'll be back next Friday with another hometown hero.

Real Estate CTA And Contact Info

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Absolutely, and again, we're so grateful. Tune in every Friday morning at 8 45 and be sure we podcast, share this podcast with your friends and family. But thanks so much. Maybe the house feels a little too big these days. The stairs, a little steeper, the pace of life, a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go? It was about making space for peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing, and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to right-size, simplify, or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group. Local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygreg.com. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-3930134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP 107.7 FM and 1450 A.M. or stream online at WHKP.com or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George Real Estate Group brings you the WHKP Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning at 8 45.