California ? James Campbell seemed to relish being a firefighter, showing up in uniform at the World Trade Center, train wrecks, the aftermaths of hurricanes, including Katrina, and wildfires.

He even posed for his driver’s license photo in a Los Angeles County firefighter’s uniform.

The problem is, authorities say, he was never a firefighter.

Police arrested Campbell on Friday on suspicion of impersonating a firefighter, possession of stolen property and being a felon in possession of firearms.

“He wanted to act as a hero,” Orange County Deputy District Attorney Andre Manssourian said.