Six new firefighters officially joined Capital City Fire/Rescue after completing a year-long apprenticeship. It was the first year of this paid apprentice program in Juneau and it’s helping the agency fill a staffing shortage.
Assistant Fire Chief Sam Russell led the program. At the pinning ceremony Sunday, he handed each apprentice a badge that a loved one fastened to them.
“We’re going to badge them today as firefighters. They completed their certification testing last week. We’re still waiting on some written test results, but I have no doubt,” he said. “So we’re going to grab them as firefighters.”
Russell also gave them each a yellow helmet.
“Firefighters wear yellow,” he said. “These guys have been wearing black for about a year.”
Last year, the apprentices finished their EMT certifications. Then, they spent the spring running ambulance calls and finishing Firefighter 1 training. They could only respond to fires from the outside. Now, they are fully certified firefighters, and they can go inside burning buildings.
Russell said that while the graduating apprentices learned from the department, they also helped him learn how to make the first year of the program successful.
“I’m really proud of these guys for sticking it out, for doing the work, and for helping me build the program the way it is,” he said. “Without their patience and initiative, they wouldn’t be successful and neither would the program.”
There was one empty seat: one apprentice, Ian Mullett, missed the ceremony, because he volunteered to take an overtime shift, and was on a call.
Kajson Cunningham is the youngest apprentice, and now one of the youngest firefighters with the department. He joined the program straight out of high school.
He said the department trained him thoroughly, and he feels ready to take on the challenges Juneau throws at him.
“I’m just excited, really. I mean, I’m excited to go into the buildings and go interior,” Cunningham said. “We’ve been on many fire scenes, and we know how it operates and works, and now, instead of assisting on the outside, we’re able to go inside and assist.”
Lillian Thorington joined the program later than the other apprentices. She was finishing her degree at UAS, and gained her EMT certificate as a volunteer firefighter.
“I was able to actually jump in halfway through the program, which definitely was a challenge, because I was a little behind everyone,” she said. “But what was really amazing was everyone was willing to help me.”
She said her success is due to the people she works with in Juneau.
“I’m really lucky to have the people in our department,” Thorington said. “I don’t think I would have been able to be nearly as successful without them.”
Capital City Fire Rescue plans to take on four more apprentices this year. Assistant Fire Chief Russell says staff will start interviewing applicants this week.
The apprentices officially joined the department as the City and Borough of Juneau and the local firefighter’s union reached a contract agreement after 11 months of deliberations.
