COLLEGE STATION, Texas—They rush in when others are running out.
They’re every day heroes, fighting fires, and saving lives.
And, this week over 2,000 firefighters are attending the Texas Engineering Extension Service Fire School.
It’s the third week of the annual summer program where brave men and women gather at Brayton Fireman Training Field.
This week is the Municipal Fire Academy. Firefighters come from across Texas to sharpen their skills.
Angie Brown is a volunteer firefighter from Silsbee, and signed up when her husband was injured in a truck accident.
“The fire department was just so amazing,” said Brown. “I just thought that it was just such an amazing thing that I wanted to be a part of it and help my community,” she added.
For three years, Brown, who’s the only female in her department, has battled the Texas heat to get better at fighting flames.
Firefighters also learn everything from rescuing people from high-buildings to cutting accident victims out of a mangled car.
Bear Kitchen is one of the instructors, and he’s been teaching at the Fire Academy for 24 years.
“I’m doing my job,” said Kitchen. “Whether it’s digging people of out of cars, or house fires. I do whatever it takes, then come up here to teach other people what to do,” he added.
It’s a life-saving business.
And, for Joe Yeakley, he understands that first-hand.
He was badly injured in a fire in 2014 when a garage fell on him and his partner.
His partner was able to get out, and his fellow firefighters saved him from the burning rubble in less than 4 minutes.
Yeakley said he had a long and hard recovery, but is thankful for his colleagues for supporting him along the way.
“The fire service has been so good to me after I was injured in the line of duty, and I just feel it's my way of giving back a little bit of what I was what I received,” he said.
So, that’s why he dedicates his time to teaching others at the Fire School, giving back to this community of heroes.
“I tell young students to always think about me when you’re going in to do something,” said Yeakley.
“Make sure that everything you’re doing is right. Make sure it’s worth the risk,” he added.
And, even though these firefighters are from all over Texas, they’re really one big family.
“One of the things is we’re all a brotherhood,” said Kitchen. “We all take care of each other,” he added.
They’re bonded by their grit, determinations, and genuine love for helping others.
“These are the worst situations that these people have ever been in, in their life. You've got to have that compassion and that willingness to help them,” said Brown.