Academy gets graduates fired up

Much goes in to being a firefighter, as graduates of the Mount Airy Citizens Fire Academy learned during a five-week series that explored the ins and outs of an unpredictable and sometimes-dangerous profession.

“There was something hands-on every week,” said Emily Mauck, one of nine participants in the second-annual program lasting from May 6 to June 12.

For example, the active group witnessed a live structural burn of a house on Galloway Street, learned how to drag and roll up fire hoses, was schooled on carrying a victim and other agility skills, got firsthand experience with extinguishers and went on a fire crew ride-along.

Academy students also put on the bulky turnout gear worn by suppression personnel to protect them during blazes.

“And see what that gear actually weighs” with equipment such as air packs, city Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said during a graduation program last Thursday night.

Some class participants were surprised to find out that just one set of turnout gear costs more than $5,000.

And it wasn’t all about firefighting.

Program participants additionally were briefed on CPR and other facets associated with the Mount Airy Fire Department’s expanded role in serving as first responders to motor vehicle accidents and a wide range of medical emergencies.

“I learned a lot,” 2024 Citizens Fire Academy graduate Amy George Quesinberry said Thursday night when she and others had the chance to comment on their involvement during a Mount Airy Board of Commissioners meeting.

Her participation had special significance for Quesinberry, who mentioned that her own home had once caught fire, involving a chimney blaze.

Quesinberry said she was impressed by firefighters’ professionalism on that occasion and during the Citizens Fire Academy.

Fellow graduate Calvin Vaughn voiced respect for the fact that fire personnel can be subjected to harm at any moment, and the brotherhood exhibited by department members.

Robbie Curlee, another student, praised the training that firefighters reflect and an enjoyable program overall.

“As a city taxpayer, I would encourage everybody who can to attend this,” Curlee said.

Chief Poindexter equally was complimentary concerning the attitude and enthusiasm of academy members.

Although each session was scheduled to end at 7 p.m. on class nights, this was a “supposed-to” situation, he related.

“It lasted many nights until eight or eight-thirty, which was a good thing,” Poindexter explained, with the extra time allotted to field a plethora of questions from students to instructors.

“Anytime we can educate our citizens on what we do, it’s a good thing,” he observed.

After two successful years of the Citizens Fire Academy, the chief is looking ahead to further sessions in 2025.

“It seems like it has caught on pretty well, and we’re glad of that,” he said.

“We look forward to doing this for many years to come.”