The chief of the New Market Fire Department is speaking out about two volunteer firefighters who were arrested on arson charges.

The mother and sister of Ryan Sullivan, one of the two suspects, have made comments that he was mentally challenged.

Chief Matthew Hughes says a background check is done on all volunteers, but he never thought he'd see the day when something like this would happen.

Hughes is still coming to terms with the arrests of two of his volunteer firefighters.

"It blows my mind, exactly! It shocks everyone in here," says Hughes.

With Sullivan and Michael Bell charged with arson, people might be asking about just who can volunteer to be a firefighter.

"The only thing that can really keep them out is if there's a felon," adds Hughes.

At the New Market department, an application is first sent to Shenandoah County and then goes on to Virginia State Police. If the application is approved, the membership committee makes the final call.

Both Sullivan and Bell passed.

There is no mental screening process, but Hughes says these charges of allegedly setting seven fires is something he never saw coming.

"It never would have crossed our mind in a million years to think of them doing something like this. You know, to think of them setting them," says Hughes.

Sullivan's mother, Jodi commented on our web channel thatRyan suffers from a mental illness.

She says, "When medicated he is rational and charismatic. When not medicated, he is irrational and has little to no impulse control."

His sister, Meghan, says, "He has a mental illness and he needs help. I am so confused as to why he would do this."

Back at the firehouse, Hughes is trying make sense of it all.

"I'm disappointed in the two's actions for what they've done. I'm angry," says Hughes. "On the other hand I kind of feel for them because I've worked with them for so many years. They are great firefighters you know."

Both Sullivan and Bell are charged with four counts of arson in Shenendoah County and another three counts in Rockingham.