The Mint Hill Times is proud to introduce Zach Troublefield.

Before joining the Mint Hill Fire Department three and a half years ago, Zach spent eight years in the Army.  “I joined right after high school,” says Zack, “went to basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was stationed at Fort Bliss then deployed to Afghanistan. I got to Afghanistan in December of 2012, and then came home the following September.”

“It was something I always wanted to do,” says Zach of his time in the army.  “Growing up, my dad was in the Marines, so it was something that I always wanted to do, too.”

When Zach left the military in 2020, firefighting felt like a natural next step.  “You’ve got the same command structure, basically, so I just kind of fell in line with it,” says Zach, who also enjoys the camaraderie amongst the men at the fire department.  “Being in the military for so long, you get used to being around all the guys hanging out with each other.  Coming here, it’s the same thing.”

Zach lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife, a schoolteacher at Queen’s Grant Community School, and their three children, ages five, three, and two months old.  When he’s not at the fire department he stays busy with his kids, fishing and shuttling them to gymnastics and t-ball.  

What Zach likes most about working in Mint Hill is its small-town vibe.  “You get to know everyone in the community,” he says.  “We’re such a small department.  We all get along with each other well; we’re like a big family!”