Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department
In 2019, I became a member of Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department at the age of seventeen because I thought my older brother Cayman (1246) was the coolest person ever for joining the year before. Since then, I have spent countless hours training, have run hundreds of calls, have acquired many certifications like my EMT license and Emergency Vehicle Operatoring Course (EVOC), and have gained a second family. Being a volunteer firefighter/EMT requires great dedication and commitment because I am on call 24/7 and must be ready to respond to emergencies immediately. As a first responder, I have seen people at their best times and at their worst times. Running difficult calls has helped me grow as an individual, empathize with people, and interact without judgment.
Southwest Volunteer Fire Department
When I first came to Auburn, I was lost. I had planned to be in the Auburn University Marching Band since middle school, but the Lord had other plans in store for me (I just didn't know it yet). I was last to be cut from auditions due to seniority, and I was absolutely heartbroken for weeks. It felt like I had lost a part of me. I didn't know who I was without marching band, but I quickly learned that when one door closes, another one opens; little did I know, that's how I would find my people for the next two years. My brother Cayman and his roommates immediately encouraged me to apply to Southwest Volunteer Fire Department, and I was welcomed with arms wide open by each and every member. For the first two years, I thrived at SWFD. I was a natural leader in probationary school due to my prior experience with MVFR, despite being the youngest "Probie" and initially the only female. After passing the class and getting sworn into the department, I spent around forty-six hours or more volunteering each week. When I wasn't in class, I was at the station waiting for a call and hanging out with everybody. I worked tirelessly to complete all my training hours so that I could drive the medic and fire engines to emergencies and pump the truck at fires. I became more involved during the fall of 2022 after getting my certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license over the summer and getting hired as the Fundraising Event Coordinator for the department's annual Chili Dinner. Eventually, my friends began to graduate and move away one by one, and each school semester became increasingly more difficult. At the start of junior year, I decided that I would plan Chili Dinner for the final time and create a planning guide for them to use before parting ways with SWFD.
