On Saturday afternoon, two valued members of the Tioga Volunteer Fire Department got married.
Julia Parker and Logan Hartman tied the knot in Collinsville on a dairy farm and homestead- turned wedding venue.
“I’m just so excited,” Julia said before the ceremony, her nerves giving way to laughter. “It’s a lot—exciting, stressful— but mostly just really special to be marrying someone who works right alongside me.”
Julia, an EMT and volunteer firefighter, and Logan, a lieutenant with the department, have been partners both in life and in service for years.
The two first met in high school and began dating during their senior year.
“I met her toward the end of senior year,” Logan said. “She was getting her EMT certification at the time, and I had just gotten mine. She got me into the fire department, [and] we’ve kind of been joined at the hip ever since.”
The couple got engaged in late February, shortly after Valentine’s Day.
Logan made sure to clarify that their love story didn’t begin at the fire station.
“I wanted to make it clear this wasn’t some workplace romance,” he said with a grin. “We were high school sweethearts first, but being in the department together definitely brought us closer.”
Julia’s brother, Kyle Parker, described her as “strong-headed and full of life.”
“She knows what she wants, and she’s crazy about him,” he said with a laugh. “He’s a strong man for keeping up with her.”
For Julia and Logan, that sense of family, both on and off duty, is at the heart of everything.
“It’s been a long road,” Julia said. “A lot of work, a lot of love. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Friends and fellow firefi ghters agreed that the two are a perfect match.
“They’re goofy, but they bring out the best in each other,” said LaDarius Day, a close family friend. “They both know what they want to do, and you can tell they take care of each other.”
Deputy Chief Jerry Carnes described them as “two of the most dedicated people you’ll ever meet.”
“If she’s not at home or with family, she’s at the firehouse,” Carnes said. “Same goes for Logan. They live and breathe this work.”
For the TVFD, the ceremony felt like a family affair.
Several members attended, with fire trucks parked outside the venue in a show of support.
“I’ve been around the department since I was probably in diapers,” Logan said. “It’s a big family environment. Because we’re volunteers, we really depend on one another— we show up for everyone. They’ve been there at my graduation and now at my wedding.”
Fire Chief Richard Hartman, who stood beside his son as the best man, said the day felt like a milestone for the entire department.
“Ever since I met Julia when Logan first brought her around, she just molded right in,” he said. “Her family accepted ours, and we’ve kind of joined. Today feels less like a beginning and more like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence that’s already been written for a long time.”
Photo Courtesy of Tioga VFD
