Jason Buyaki, board member

Jason Buyaki

Jason Buyaki, a resident of Albemarle County since 2005, joined the Stony Point Volunteer Fire Company’s Board of Directors in May 2020.

Fourteen years earlier, he nearly joined the volunteer fire brigade itself, but the appearance of a third daughter nipped that idea in the bud. (Ironically, Daughter #2, Kasia, ended up joining the brigade as a junior member at age 16!)

Public service has been a driving force in Jason’s life, which led him to serve two terms on the Albemarle School Board before serving the Stony Point community through the fire company.

In Jason’s work life, he manages a team that produces parts for aerospace projects. He uses his managerial and former board experience “to focus on policy and actions that ensure the brigade has the equipment, the training and the facilities to do their work,” he says.

Jason values the community-like atmosphere of the fire company and the opportunity to be close – but not too close – to the action. “We regularly see our volunteer firefighters we’re supporting because we’re there working side by side for station work days, for spring cleanings and for making site improvements,” he says.

While Jason estimates that the unpaid brigade saves Albemarle County $1 million per year, he acknowledges that volunteers – who work one 12-hour night shift per week and one 24-hour weekend shift every three weeks – bear a load that he would like to lighten.

“My focus is to grow our membership because folks deserve the opportunity to take time off,” he says. “Having a deeper, larger brigade will allow us to adapt to that and it will be less taxing to our volunteers.”

“I am grateful for the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our volunteers who make the Stony Point Volunteer Fire Company possible. Without them, the Stony Point community would be [face] considerably longer response times from other stations to save lives and protect property.”