On March 20, 2021, three Covenant College students completed their training to become volunteer firefighters for the West Brow Fire and Rescue. The students, Katherine Horn ’23, Greg Royal ’21, and Mason Harmon ’23 have spent the last few months training to take this test and have successfully completed their training.
Photo taken from West Brow Fire Department Facebook Page.
Horn first got involved in volunteer firefighting at CovCon last semester, when she signed up for the email notification list because the idea interested her. A week later she attended an introductory visit to the fire station and had the chance to speak to a Covenant graduate and two current students involved with the department. The three Covenant students showed her and others around the firehouse and introduced them to the idea of being a firefighter.
From there, Horn and a few other students returned to the station a week later to begin the training process. She said that she was mostly interested in medical training at first and was startled when the instructors had them put on gear and put her and the others into a burn box within the first few days. After that, all of those that began their training with Horn decided that fire training was what they wanted to pursue, and moved on from there.
The group spent several weeks last semester in different classes learning the proper techniques, tools and procedures before becoming certified as support personnel. This semester, Horn, Royal, and Harmon advanced to FF1 class, which had a test that, once passed, earned them their Georgia Firefighter Certifications.
While the three of them are students at Covenant College, they will respond to both fire and medical calls in West Brow. Horn shared that she is currently in a hazmat class learning to deal with hazardous materials and once she completes the class she will be a nationally certified firefighter.
Horn plans to continue working with West Brow for at least a few years after graduation.
Leon Ferraez ’20, an active member of the West Brow Fire and Rescue said, “West Brow Fire and Rescue offers students an opportunity to receive certifications and engage in dynamic training that helps students better serve their communities. Students who volunteered with WBFR have run calls including house fires, car fires, car wrecks, CPRs, and so much more. While doing so they have received certifications in firefighting, hazardous materials, operations, and EMT with several students pursuing a career in fire and/or ems after graduation.”
Keith McClearn, Director of Safety and Security at Covenant, said, “The partnership between Covenant College and the local volunteer firefighting community goes back a number of years. It’s been very interesting to get to know some of the alumni that were members of the College’s First Responder program. These individuals were able to find their calling in life through volunteering to serve as local volunteer firefighters.”
Just in the past two years, four students have begun their careers as firefighters and/or paramedics after graduation, and one will soon begin medical school.
For those interested in volunteer firefighting, West Brow Fire and Rescue is always looking for trainees. If interested, contact McClearn at keith.mcclearn@covenat.edu or reach out to Horn at katherine.horn@covenent.edu.