The Firefighter's Vow. Amie Denman

me—I’ve been on the department for twelve years, since I was eighteen and could officially join, but I’ve been hanging around since I was old enough to walk. My dad was the chief, and I have several cousins and other relatives on this department or in the fire service. I got my instructor’s certificate two years ago, and you are my third class of volunteers.”

      He paused and turned down the volume on his radio, which he placed on the desk.

      “We’ll be together quite a lot in the next six weeks and beyond, so I’d like to get a sense of what brought you here tonight and what you hope to get out of this class. We appreciate your willingness to serve, and I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. Our volunteers get in the thick of it right alongside the full-time guys. I can’t promise you’ll never be in danger, but I can promise I’ll do everything I can to prepare you to handle it.”

      He let his words soak in for a few seconds. “Let’s go around the room, have you tell us your names and a little about yourselves and why you’ve decided to join the department. We can start in the back,” he said, vaguely gesturing toward the brothers two rows behind Laura.

      “I’m Richard,” one of the men Laura had met before class said. “I work at the surfboard factory outside town, and they need some of us to get some fire training because we work with a lot of flammable materials. Insurance company dictating it, you know. So I figured I’d learn something about putting out fires to help me get ahead at work, and I wouldn’t mind volunteering and helping out my hometown, too.”

      “Oliver,” the next man said. “My brother talked me into coming,” he said, jerking a thumb at Richard, “but I like the idea of doing something more interesting than teaching welding at the vocational school. I guess you could say I play with fire at work, and this is the opposite.”

      Laura liked both brothers, and they had solid reasons for being there. She focused on listening to her new classmates while also thinking of what she was going to say. She couldn’t say, I’m Laura and I’m here because my brother was killed fighting fires and I think this is the best way for me to heal my own soul while helping others.

      Tony pointed to the next man in the back row.

      “Skip,” he said. “My uncle is a firefighter over in Virginia Beach, and he let me hang out with them and even ride along on a few calls. I just graduated from high school, and I want to be a firefighter like my uncle. I’m getting my feet wet as a volunteer, but I’m hoping I don’t stop there.”

      Tony smiled at the guy. “Always room in the fire service for another good man. Or woman,” he added, nodding at Laura and Diane. Laura felt heat radiate up her neck at being singled out and Diane was frowning when Laura glanced over at her.

      “Sorry,” Tony said. “I didn’t say that to be a jerk. I really mean it. There are some amazing women in the fire service.”

      “Thank you,” Diane said with a congenial smile, and Laura admired her instantly for being nonplussed in an embarrassing situation. Maybe she was right about wisdom.

      “I’m Brock,” a man in the second row said, cutting through the tension. “I officially retired from the city last year, and I’m driving for the senior center, delivering meals now. I think I’d be more useful if I learned how to handle an emergency, and I was glad to see there wasn’t a maximum age for volunteers when I filled out the application.”

      “Me, too,” Diane said. Brock had to be in his fifties, and Diane had already told Laura she was forty-eight, so Laura could understand Diane’s relief at not being the oldest person in the class.

      “I might as well go next since I opened my big mouth. I’m Diane, my house is a quiet empty nest and I’ve always wanted to drive a fire truck.”

      “Can’t argue with that,” Tony said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he pointed out the last two men in the middle row.

      “Allen,” a dark-haired, broad-shouldered man with a thin smile said. “I can drive a truck and I’ve never backed off from a challenge. I’m not afraid of anything, so I think I’m the kind of guy you can use.”

      Tony kept a polite expression, but Laura noticed the smile had disappeared from his eyes. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been afraid a few times. Justifiably afraid. But knowing what to do in those situations is the best way to keep yourself and your partners alive, and that’s what you’re going to learn in this class.”

      Laura heard Allen’s chair creak, and she wondered how he’d received the subtle put-down from Tony.

      “I know you, Marshall, but I don’t know if anyone else does,” Tony said, pointing to the only person left aside from Laura.

      “I’m Marshall, and I’ve been on the police department here for five years. Sometimes we get called to the same situations the fire department does, and I’d like to be more knowledgeable and more helpful in those situations. That’s why I’m here.”

      “And we appreciate it,” Tony said. “In a small town like this, you’d be surprised by how much crossover there is between the police and fire departments. In fact,” he said, pointing to Laura, “we work with the beach rescue also, where our last class member comes from.”

      Was Tony trying to help her by giving her a cue or a suggestion of what to say? She couldn’t claim he was treating her differently than the other volunteers, but something about this half introduction made it seem as if he were trying to encourage her. Was he?

      “I guess it’s my turn,” she said, smiling and turning in her seat to face her seven classmates. “I’m Laura, and I am working on the public beach this summer. I’m not a lifeguard, but I helped rescue someone last week and it was part of what inspired me to be here tonight.”

      Part, but not all, and maybe as time passed and she knew her classmates better, she would eventually tell them. But not tonight.

      “You did a great job,” Tony said, and Laura felt the uncomfortable attention of everyone in the room. Was this how Tony was going to act? Drawing attention to her, even in a positive way? It wasn’t what she wanted, but it would be hard to tell him to knock it off when he was being nice. She didn’t want to come off as defensive.

      The door to the meeting room opened and a young firefighter dressed in uniform came in. He moved with confidence to the front of the room and stood next to Tony.

      “This is Gavin Kennedy,” Tony said, introducing the firefighter. “He’ll be helping me with this class. He’s only been out of the academy two years, so he remembers what it’s like to be in your shoes.”

      Gavin smiled politely as Tony picked up the stack of books and handed them to his helper. “Pass these out.”

      “Sorry I missed the introductions,” Gavin said. As he handed a book to each class member, he read their name tags and said their names aloud. “I’m bad with names, so I’m going to need to practice.” When he got to Laura, he paused and said, “Hey, you’re Nicole’s sister. Kevin told me you were coming.”

      Laura smiled, wondering how much Kevin had said about her. Did the other men on the department know about her brother’s death?

      “Let’s take a quick look at your books,” Tony said. “These will also serve as an overview of the class. There are twelve chapters, and we’ll cover one most nights, but you’ll have to read a lot on your own. We’ll meet here for three hours each of the next Tuesday and Thursday nights, and you’ll also be expected to be here for truck inspections, meetings and trainings on Sunday mornings.”

      Laura ran a finger down the table of contents. Fire behavior. Fire suppression. Emergency scenes. Hazardous materials. As a teacher, she was confident in her ability to read, break down information and memorize what was necessary. The book work would be the easy part. When it came to putting on heavy gear and testing her strength and will against a real fire, she would have to dig deep.

      “Chapter one,” Tony said. “Becoming a firefighter.”