West Forsyth High School Sophomore Kayleigh Kindlon has an eye on her future with an atypical afterschool activity – volunteer firefighting.
Kindlon wants to be a force for good in her community, particularly for people in emergency situations. She envisions a career that incorporates both firefighting and nursing, and when she was 14 years old, she found an opportunity to get started on the prior aspiration by volunteering with the Mineral Springs Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. Over the past year and a half, she’s participated in every almost aspect of the firefighting experience, including maintaining the firehouse, familiarizing herself with trucks and equipment, directing traffic around incidents, and even directly fighting fires with hoses. She’s taken her interest in public safety to an impressive extent from a young age.
“When she wanted to do it at 14… I thought okay, we’ll hand in the application, but I don’t think she’ll do it,” said Lavina Kindlon, Kayleigh’s mother. “Now, she has her own pager and gets calls she can go on. She’s put out fires.”
As rare as it is for high school students to be core members of fire departments, it’s even rarer for girls. The United States Fire Administration says that only about 11% of volunteer firefighters are women, and that rate drops even lower among career firefighters. However, there are women in the field who are seeking to extend an invitation to a new generation of female firefighters, including in the Triad. Over the summer, Kindlon participated in her first year of Camp Spark, a weeklong program held by the women of the Greensboro Fire Department that teaches high school girls the basics of their profession. She came away from her week with the department feeling more confident in her skills than ever, and she appreciated getting to spend time in a space that was dedicated to girls in the field.
“You get to see these young women really prove to themselves their own strengths and abilities,” said Senior Firefighter Erin Jackson. “It reminds me of why it’s so important to be out here and to keep doing what I’m doing.”
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools recognizes the value of training the next generation of firefighters, and it’s striving to create more opportunities for students with interest in the field. West Forsyth, Walkertown High School, and Glenn High School are all currently home to fire academies that get prospective firefighters started on their career paths early. Kindlon is starting her fire tech curriculum this year after beginning in West Forsyth’s public safety course of study as a freshman, and she credits her firefighting teacher, Chief Anthony Byrum, with pointing her towards Mineral Springs to get started as a volunteer. With coursework that delves into police work, firefighting, and emergency medical operations, she feels her school is supporting her well in achieving her goals for after graduation.
“You learn a lot of different things,” Kindlon said. “I think it’s doing a good job preparing me.”
Kindlon has dedicated a lot of time and energy into training to be a positive force in her community, and WS/FCS is proud to be of help. She encourages anyone else with an interest in public service to get involved and see what types of opportunities the district can offer them.
“I remember one day when Chief Byrum gave a speech standing on a truck and said this is the best job there is out there,” Kindlon said. “I think he was right.”