A house is ablaze. Emergency numbers have been dialed and help is on the way. The help? Auburn University students and their supervisors.
In the early 90s, a program started in efforts to provide Auburn with firefighters while engaging students from the University. When it began, Tuskegee University was included. The student firefighter program keeps the force young and operation costs down.
Battalion Chief Jeff Nolin said, at the moment, there are 60 students involved that are all certified firefighters. After recruitment school, six weeks of basic training and 10-12 weeks of fire school, they are given the same certification as full-time firefighters.
Nolin said the students work their way from dummies to fighting live fires. The program is open to students of all majors, and they have students from all over join the squad.
Emily Jordan, freshman in nursing at Southern Union Community College, grew up wanting to help people and found her niche with the Student Firefighting Program.
Jordan found out about the program while she was in school at Auburn High School. Jordan said her teacher was a retired firefighter and spoke passionately about the job and the commitment. His passion kept her curious enough to try it out for herself.
"I thought, 'Wow, this is the best job in the world; why have I never heard about it?'" Jordan said.
When she found out about the program she thought to herself what a blessing it was and jumped in head first. Jordan said her mother is constantly worried sick about her, but she knew she wanted to help people, and this was the best way to do it.
"There was nothing stopping me," Jordan said. "It was everything I wanted to do at once in a job title I had never really heard of."
That passion and love for the job were necessary during training, Jordan said. She recalled it being the hardest thing she had ever done. She said the growth is not only physical but mental.
"The training is very intense, very physical," Nolin said. "Fire school, specifically, requires a lot of muscle memory. You learn how to raise and lower ladder, use the rest of the equipment, drag dummies and work with your partners."
Jordan said the stories of her supervisors and their infinite experience they have to share makes the relationship something to treasure. She said she respects her authority, Nolin and others, more than she could ever express.
Jordan laughed and said they may try to intimidate the students a bit in training, but it is a way to prepare those that may not be ready just yet.
"They are helpful and you can go to them for everything," Jordan said.
Colin Nease, junior in building science, found the program attractive for the tuition reimbursements but quickly found many more reasons to stick with the training.
"You grow up a lot and see a lot more than most people will ever see," Nease said. "You get a real world view and experience something different from what most people would call the average college experience."
The students work 24-hour shifts and take 48 hours to relax just as regular firefighters do, Nolin said. Student firefighters are primarily paid through tuition reimbursement, Nolin said, but they do receive minimum wage pay. Students can work up to six years as a student firefighter.
Nease said an emergency call could take him to a person having chest pain or a full-blown structure fire.
"It's nice to be a part of the community and be able to understand and help," Nease said. "You go into every call thinking that you are there to help in [the victim's] worst time."
Nolin himself went through the student firefighter program and stuck with the job.
"I would say the stay-go rate is about 50/50," Nolin said. "We have a lot of firefighters that continue to fight fires outside of Auburn."
Texas, New York City, Antartica, Atlanta and Birmingham are just a few of the places where former Auburn student firefighters have gone.
"This job is the best," Jordan said. "The idea that you can be there no matter the situation – whether someone is giving birth or was just in a car accident – your job is to help them and be there."
Jordan is one of three female student firefighters. She said as a woman she feels completely respected and empowered in her line of work with Auburn Firefighters. She encourages other women to give the program a shot, as the experience is character and confidence building.
Jordan said with time management and discipline, working as a full-time student and certified firefighter isn't impossible and she wouldn't give up either.
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