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Sunday's Internet Edition, October 12, 2008.
Three recruits sworn in as firefighters
GHS graduate among the fire academy grads headed for Galt
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Photo by Keri Wood
Fire Chief Steve Foster finishes pinning on Londyn Ray’s badge during an academy graduation ceremony Sept. 25.
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By Cameron Macdonald
Staff Writer
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They came from humble backgrounds. One worked as a substitute high school teacher and another was a Bel Air supermarket employee.
They started out as interns from Cosumnes River College before spending 17 weeks cramming for exams, battling propane fires and knocking out grass fires, and running up The Gauntlet, or a five-story tower, to ring a bell whenever they erred.
By the end, they emerged as firefighters in the Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD).
Fire academy graduates Jamie Ebert, Milo Griffin and Londyn Ray were honored during their Sept. 25 graduation ceremony held at the CSD administration building in Elk Grove.
“I thought that the day would never come and 18 weeks later, it’s finally here,” said Griffin.
The trio of graduates will work at one of the CSD fire stations in Galt.
“There will be days when you’ll doubt your choice and days when you can’t imagine doing anything else,” CSD Deputy Fire Chief Tracey Hansen told the firefighters about their new profession.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a $316,000 grant to help fund the cost of these firefighters. The grant is based on CSD’s plan to boost a Galt station’s rescue capabilities, CSD spokesperson Steve Capps said in a press statement.
The graduation ceremony began when the American flag was presented and an honor guardsman played a traditional bagpipe song.
Each graduate marched into the ceremony room carrying ceremonial firefighter axes.
The fire academy trainers described the recruits’ experiences and its many challenges.
Trainer and CSD Fire Captain Kevin McLean mentioned how every small detail was considered during routine inspections. That included having uniform belts enter every belt-loop and having water bottle caps pressed all the way down.
“The smallest piece of lint or scuffmark on their boots would warrant a corrective action,” he said.
Such an action either made a recruit run up and down the tower to ring its bell or perform push-ups, sometimes right after a run.
Hansen said that Ray disliked the strong vibrations of the bell during the many times she heard it.
McLean noted that they passed all 26 of their written exams with an 80 percent score or higher.
“Barely,” trainer and CSD fire captain Troy Bair then joked in the ceremony’s microphone.
Bair later told the audience about a song about teamwork that was played in the classroom. He first heard the song while watching the cartoon show Wonder Pets with his child.
“We’re not too big and we’re not too tough/But if we work together, we got the right stuff,” Bair recalled the lyrics.
On a serious note, CSD Fire Chief Steve Foster told the audience about the expectations for the new firefighters, which include commitment, readiness and teamwork.
“These new members should be innovative thinkers; the status quo should never be good enough,” he said.
Hansen spent most of her speech facing the firefighters to tell them about what lies ahead.
“You should remember that you’re here to serve our community,” she said. “You should remember that when you come to work in the morning and when you go home when your shift is over.”
Ebert was his class valedictorian.
“I’m getting ready for the next phase and continuing what I’ve been doing,” said Ebert. “It’s an awesome feeling.”
Ebert is a graduate of Laguna Creek High School who earned his associate degree in fire technology at Cosumnes River College before joining the CSD.
He recalled that he became interested in the fire service near the end of his high school years, and he later decided to further pursue that interest after riding along with firefighters.
“It’s more of a lifestyle than a job,” Ebert said.
Two of the new firefighters had their badges pinned by relatives who are veteran firefighters.
Ray was pinned by her father, a retired engineer from the Lodi Fire Department.
She is a Galt High graduate who first worked as a teacher before deciding to join her family tradition.
“I feel very privileged to be a part of this department,” Ray said.
Earlier in the ceremony, Hansen said that Ray was pleased that she was able to keep up with her 22-year-old classmates during the training.
Griffin had his badge pinned by his uncle, who is a battalion chief in the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. He graduated from Christian Brothers High and was later dissatisfied with his job.
Griffin said that he began speaking to his relatives about the fire service and heard their stories from their pasts. He later worked for the American Medical Response Company before coming to the CSD.
“And I never looked back,” Griffin said.
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