Hoping to fill 10 entry-level firefighter positions for the new year, Columbia County Fire Rescue hosted a hiring fair on Saturday, Jan. 6, in search of community members who wish to help.
Hosted at the county’s Fire Headquarters, located at 3910 Desoto Drive in Martinez, Ga., those interested in a career with Fire Rescue had the opportunity to meet team members and ask questions about training, job duties and career advancement.
Offering tours of the headquarters and firetrucks, attendees were able to ask questions about the inner workings of assisting the county against fires and other emergencies.
Columbia County’s Fire Deputy Chief Jimmie Paschal said the county is always looking to hire enthusiastic and selfless employees who are at least 18 years old.
“We’re looking to fill positions with people who want to come be a part of our team, and people who want to come out to help the community and those in need,” he said.
To inspire teens and other young adults, Fire Rescue recruiter Tony Holt said the county partners with local middle and high schools to offer talks or classes that target interested up-and-coming young adults.
“We try to hit all the high schools throughout the year just to go and talk about the fire service,” said Holt. “We have a fire program going on at Evans High School, and that’s been going for about five or six years now.”
When looking for ideal candidates for hiring, Holt said one’s age is not an enormous consideration compared to a person’s attitude and physical fitness are especially important factors.
“Firefighter school now is so challenging, so we definitely want someone that’s physically fit,” he said. “We are also hiring lady firefighters and a lot of young ladies don’t know that … they mostly think ‘that’s a man’s job.’”
However, Holt said female firefighters can be just as capable as any male firefighter with the right determination and physical training.
“We have one that’s probably 5-foot and maybe 130 pounds, and she does everything on her own – carries all the equipment,” Holt said. “In firefighting, we all have to be able to do it.”
For Cameron Tiedeman, a Harlem High School graduate, firefighting was always the plan after being raised by a firefighter and seeing the effect the job had on the community.
After being involved in a high school firefighting class, Tiedeman said he knew he wanted to make it his career.
“Overall, I always said I wanted a job that, at the end of the day, I felt like I was making a difference and that means something – not something where I was working the same hours everyday and not making a difference,” he said. “That’s pretty much what drew me to it.”
After being in the field for three years, although the job is physically and mentally demanding at times, Tiedeman said he has no regrets and still loves it everyday.
“You get to be personal with people on calls,” he said.
Firefighter Tommie Johnson, who first had a career teaching in Illinois for 17 years before moving to Columbia County for his wife’s job, said he has thoroughly enjoyed working alongside his fellow firefighters.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the fire service, but to be able to be a part of it now is pretty cool,” he said. “Sure, we see a lot of tough stuff, but it’s almost like we’re a second family. We train together, we eat together, and it’s been really amazing. I enjoy it.”
With fire stations offering private rooms for on-duty employees and supportive chiefs and captains, Johnson said he was proud to work for a county that took care of their employees, and that he could give back to his community everyday.
For those interested in pursuing a career in Fire Rescue, the county will be holding another hiring fair on Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Fire Headquarters from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
