Firefighting recruits being tested physically, mentally

Jan. 27—In the first week of a nine-week certification class, firefighters from the region braved frigid temperatures Thursday morning as they learned how to properly wear safety equipment.

Of the 18 candidates who began the certification class, 12 remain. A few more may drop out before it's over, instructors said.

Alabama Fire College Instructor Lt. Brewer Widner, at the regional training center that is co-located with the Decatur Fire & Rescue Training Center in Flint, said the rigorous training is not for everyone who enrolls.

He said Week 4, when recruits will be going into a burning structure with their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), is deemed the most demanding.

"We always lose one to three a school," he said. "Sometimes due to injury. Some can't meet the job requirements or they simply decide it's not for them. For some, this is the first time they have been around this. They've never been mentally pushed in a hot, smoky, dark environment when they're tired."

The candidates are all employed with area fire departments. In this school, Assistant Instructor Joshua Cardwell said four are from Decatur, three from Hartselle, two from Madison, two from the Huntsville International Airport and one from Tennessee.

Decked out in his turnout gear Thursday morning, Hartselle firefighter Jacob Guthrie, 24, said, "It's going good so far. They've really hammered home about putting (personal protection equipment) on properly. They're reminding us to pay attention to the small details. ... I'm looking forward to SCBA week."

He said his older brother was a volunteer firefighter and "that got me interested. ... I love being a public servant, serving others and trying to make a difference in the community."

He said he has already helped fight about 15 fires in three months with the Hartselle department.

Decatur firefighter Kindall Michael is the only female in the class, but is not deterred.

"So far we are still learning about PPE and just doing our first real drills," said Michael, 22, who said she moved here from Cookeville, Tennessee, with her husband. "We've had a lot of teamwork stuff that is designed to be difficult to facilitate teambuilding."

"I think they're trying to kill us," she said with a chuckle.

Earlier in the week, the candidates carried a 100-foot hose a long distance at the drill center without the hose touching the ground, she said. "We're learning to push through when our minds are telling us to stop. My shoulder is a little sore but it's been a blast so far. I'm looking forward to live fire training."

Michael said she planned on being a veterinarian and received a bachelor's degree in animal science from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. "I also wanted to do something in emergency services. I'm here. I'm super excited. I wanted to be a vet, but I didn't want to spend eight years of my life in college."

Decatur Fire Chief Tracy Thornton said all firefighters in the state must complete this Firefighter I/II certification course within a year of being hired. In Decatur, he said, their duties are limited until they obtain the certification.

"Our department standard is we don't put people into burning buildings — let people go into structure fires — until they have their certification. We have other stuff to let them do until they get that certification," Thornton said.

Widner said he likes the makeup of the class, but won't be cutting corners to help them get certified after nine weeks.

He said the program is as much mentally challenging as it is physically. His ideal candidate:

"We're looking for self-motivators who have a passion for success, a desire to succeed, mental toughness," he said. "I want somebody who says 'I'm going to be successful. You can't send me home.' It has to come from within."

"They may work for our department but they can't be put on a firetruck to respond to calls until they have that certification.

Lt. Brandon Sivley with the Decatur Fire Department said the ongoing nationwide labor shortage is being felt in the firefighting industry, too.

In 2011, 480 candidates vied for 13 positions, he said. Last year, 48 applied for six openings.

"The fire department is very service oriented. They have to have that service mentality, that service heart," Sivley said. "You don't see that as much anymore. There are a lot of people moving into the technology side of things. The fire department keeps up technology wise, and the job itself is a little more old-fashioned."

He said Decatur starts recruits at about $38,000 per year plus benefits. "Some of the jobs along the river pay $40 an hour. If you ask 99% of the people in this profession if they do it for the pay, they will say no," Sivley said.

— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.