08/28/2026
Meet Peter Malik - our Denton County Emergency Services District No. 1 & 2 2025 Volunteer of the Year!
On June 20, 2026, Malik - aka "the Colonel" celebrated 5 years with Denton County ESD 1 and at the end of this month will be celebrating a cumulative total of 12 years in the fire service, which originally started in the small town of Guttenberg, New Jersey.
Malik comes from a First Responder family that was split between fire and police service. On the fire department side, the Malik family has over 80 years cumulative service between paid and volunteer positions, holding positions from Engineer through Chief of the Department.
Malik had always wanted to be a fireman as early as he can remember. In 1981, at the age of 16, he was nominated as a “Runner” for Washington Hose Company No 1 in Guttenberg, NJ. As a “Runner”, individuals were selected based on their willingness to volunteer and aspire to become a firefighter in that department. They did not perform any firefighting duties at the scene, but after the fire was out, they assisted in packing hose, cleaning and drying out equipment, and maintaining the station areas. This gave him the experience needed before he was sworn in as a firefighter in 1983 at the age of 18. This was an exciting time in fire service that was referred to as the War Years from the 60’s to the 90’s. It was called this because of the unprecedented wave of structural fires, arsons, and social decay that made some city streets look like war zones.
After working in New Jersey, Malik wanted to experience a bigger department in the south and moved to Texas. He was hoping to join the Dallas Fire Rescue, but they were not hiring that year so he joined the Dallas Police Department, and eventually retired in 2016.
When asked why Malik joined Denton County ESD 1, Malik says he has "always loved helping others, making them smile or making their life easier. I always maintained my knowledge of the fire service and never let it lapse. After retirement in 2016, I still had the thirst for helping others, so I joined the Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department in 2020 for a short time before transferring over to Denton County ESD1."
"My favorite part of volunteering is “training young firemen to become old firemen." Teaching them how to become a team player and allowing them to think on their own and grow in the service. They are the future of our department, and it is thoroughly enjoyable to watch these young firemen mature and move up.
I also love the EMS side. Imagine calling 911 and having 6 strangers come into your home. It can easily cause anxiety and emotional drain the spouse or family member. It is so rewarding to help put these citizens at ease, knowing they are getting the best care possible."
As a volunteer, Malik's tasks include:
-Defensive Driving Instructor – Beyond the Cones (Fire Version)
-FIT Driver for Battalion Chief “C Shift”
-Honor Guard Member
-Medic and Brush Truck Driver/Operator
-Fire Truck Santa
Thank you, Pete, for the time and energy that our pour into our fire family and community - we are lucky to have you!
