Here at Kettle Care®, we make our products as simple and effective as possible. Because skin and hair care should fit into every routine — no matter how extraordinary.

This week, we’re highlighting a Kettle Care® customer whose lifestyle is definitely more extra than ordinary: Radka Cooper.

Radka is a volunteer firefighter here in Flathead County, Montana. A certified EMT, Radka responds to a wide range of emergency calls — from wildland and structural fires to medical emergencies and domestic disturbances.

For Radka, volunteering for the fire department is a family affair. When her daughter expressed interest in volunteering, Radka decided she couldn’t let her join alone. Today, Radka, her husband — a former Fire Chief — and her daughter are all volunteers.

But it’s not just her biological family that keeps her coming back for more. It’s her teammates — the community of people she’s bonded with during her time at Marion Fire District.

“It’s not only like a family. You have to trust these people with your life,” Radka says.

Radka compares the bond she shares with her fellow volunteers to the bond you share with people from your childhood. Radka, who moved to the area just ten years ago, says this is irreplaceable.

Although she admits her role as a first responder is often challenging, Radka says the light balances the dark. Moments of joy and levity keep her going — like the time a man who had injured his leg hunting begged the Fire Chief not to cut off his expensive wool pants — then quickly changed his mind when she promised his family would buy him new pants for Christmas.

But the highlight of her job is when the people they’ve saved — or the families of those they couldn’t — come to the department to say “Thank you.”

“Those are moments that really join our hearts,” says Radka.

Before Radka was a firefighter, she worked right here in our Kettle Care® store.  And she still keeps our garden and berm in the front beautiful during the summer. 

“I had never used many makeup or skincare products,” Radka says. But discovering Kettle Care® changed that. She loved the natural fragrances of our products — so much so that she applied for a job.

Although Radka no longer works in our store,  Kettle Care® still plays a role in her everyday routine.

When she’s called out to fight a fire, Radka’s lips get dry and cracked from the heat. And that’s where we come in. Radka uses our Environmental Barrier Lip Balm to soothe and protect her lips from the harsh conditions. “I always have two in my pockets,” she says.

When the smoke from a fire clogs her nose, Radka dabs the Eucalyptus Breathe Balm under her nose to give herself a little breathing room. And she isn’t the only one who enjoys our Breathe Balm. She shares it with the rest of her team on-site, too.

After a long day keeping our community safe — often in dangerous working conditions — Radka replentishes her skin with our Maximum Moisture Firefighter's Hand + Body Crème, designed to soothe even the roughest hands. She applies it to her hands and heels, taking a much-deserved moment of rest and reflection.

Radka encourages everyone to support their local fire department. You can volunteer like Radka and her family, donate to department fundraisers, or simply stop by to say “Thank you.”

Thank you, Radka, for keeping our community safe and for sharing your story with us. We’re glad our products can bring some joy to your day.

The white strikes on the trees are from lightening. That is how the fires start.