MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — It’s time for another edition of News13’s First Responder Friday.

This week, we introduce you to Nathan Ellis of the Myrtle Beach Fire Department.

Ellis, who has been with the department for nearly two years, clearly exemplifies the qualities of a first responder.

“It’s just cool to be a part of that, to know that I’m a part of an elite team that performs well and we can be, we can all be proud of that each one of us that belongs to this department,” Ellis said.

Ellis was born and raised in Conway and grew up in the area. He said it has been quite an opportunity to serve the Myrtle Beach community.

“I feel like the city has given me so much and provided me with an opportunity,” he said. “And now I can have an opportunity to give back and to serve the people of Myrtle Beach.”

One of the best parts of the job is the brotherhood and sisterhood that comes with being in the department, he said.

“I know that there are people here that care about me,” Ellis said. “They ask about my family. They ask what’s going on in my life. I know they got my back no matter what I’m going through.”

This isn’t the first time Ellis has been recognized for the work he does. In April, he received a valor award for saving three people in a house fire while off-duty.

“I was at my grandfather-in-law’s house in Georgetown,” Ellis said. “We looked across the street right before we were about to have Easter lunch and we see this huge column of smoke going up across the street. I feel like I was just blessed to be there, and I feel like my faith had a big part of that as far as knowing that I had to go in here and help these people.”

And that’s what he finds so rewarding about being a first responder — the chance to be there for people and families going through such hard times.

“Just being able to pray with that family, encourage that family some way somehow to me is very, very rewarding, and I enjoy doing that,” Ellis said.