For seniors Katherine Horn and Mason Harmon, college has been more than hanging out with friends and going to class. It has also included late-night responses to emergency calls, weekly training in burn boxes, and making deep connections with fellow firefighters: both Horn and Harmon are volunteers at West Brow Fire and Rescue (WBFR).
Horn (‘23) got involved at West Brow in the fall of 2020, where she started attending weekly training and working towards various certifications. In a semester full of uncertainty due to COVID-19, she immediately connected with the community of volunteers at WBFR.
“It’s your support network outside of campus, if you feel trapped or need someone to talk to, there are so many people there,” Horn said. “It was important to have a mission in a time where it was hard to find anything to connect with.”
Harmon’s experience as an EMT first responder began before she entered college, but she also quickly connected with WBFR. In the past year, she has been promoted to the position of sergeant, in which she coordinates with new recruits and tackles routine paperwork. She appreciates the camaraderie that the volunteers have with each other.
“You literally go through fire together, and it makes for a really close-knit community,” Harmon said. “We encourage people to talk to us because we see really hard stuff and we go through that together. We don’t want anyone to get left behind or have to deal with it all on their own.”
Horn finds her experience of volunteering both meaningful and empowering. “It’s very rewarding to be there for people when they are hurt, confused, scared or in pain,” she said. “I tend to think of myself as a timid, shy person who isn’t very bold or good in chaotic situations, but I’ve actually been able to handle those fairly well.”
Occasionally, Horn and Harmon respond to calls on campus. Horn explained, “[W]e don’t hate anyone who makes us get out of bed at three in the morning to run a call … it’s really cool to be able to do that for our campus community.” Horn just recently added her EMT certification to her list of accomplishments, and she hopes to continue doing EMT work following graduation.
Keith McClearn, the director of Covenant’s Safety and Security, highly praised Horn and Harmon’s work ethic. “Because of their selflessness and enthusiasm in responding to countless calls over the years—and their level of training, Mason and Katherine represent the gold standard for service to their community,” he said. Kerry Phillips, Deputy Chief of WBFR, echoed McClearn’s praise: “Servant leadership would best describe them, always putting the needs of others first. Pushing the team to its potential.”
Because of their years of experience and extensive certifications, Harmon and Horn have been able to come alongside newer recruits who are beginning the training process. Jack Carlisle (‘25) and John Miglarese (‘26) have been getting involved at WBFR and have frequently trained with Horn and Harmon. “They run a tight ship,” Miglarese laughed.
Carlisle agreed, “It’s like a family of Covenant students with the station. Mason and Katherine are always encouraging us, giving us tips, they let us know if we do a good job or a bad job.”
Both Miglarese and Carlisle hope to continue volunteering at WBFR and earning certifications as they continue their college career. They encouraged any fellow students who are interested in West Brow to give it a try.
“Always come, even if it’s just for a training. You’ll get to do some really fun stuff,” Miglarese said.
Harmon echoed the sentiment with no hesitation. “Do it. Just try it,” she said. “We’ll get you hooked, don’t worry.”
Any students who are interested in more information about the West Brow Fire & Rescue volunteers should contact Mason Harmon at mason.harmon@covenant.edu.