Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: Vonnegut rented an upstairs apartment located along Alplaus Creek across the street from the Alplaus Volunteer Fire Department , where he was an active Volunteer Fire-Fighter for a few years .
Simplified: Vonnegut rented an upstairs apartment across the street from the Alplaus Volunteer Fire Department . He was an active Volunteer Fire-Fighter for a few years .