Sammie Fendig

For many, their experience with firefighters starts and ends with an elementary school field trip. However, for some, it is a viable career pathway and a passion that burns as bright as the very flames they extinguish.

For Sammie Fendig, Firefighter for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), firefighting offers the opportunity to execute learned skills and satisfy a driven, adrenaline-junkie nature. “It’s unlike anything else,” she says.

Sammie grew up in Fernandina Beach and obtained a much-loved summer job as a lifeguard for ocean rescue at age 17. At age 18, she took a First Responder class, incentivized by the pay raise that accompanied successful completion. “I fell in love with it immediately. I still remember my first rescue,” says Sammie. Clearly, this summer job influenced her future career choice. “I’ve learned that many lifeguards joined the fire service. It’s a natural segue. It also pays better than other entry-level jobs.”

Despite her positive initial reaction to an occupation involving risk, physical fitness and saving lives, she enrolled in school as an art major at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), where she studied photography and graphic design while holding various food service jobs. Sammie enjoyed art, but she wanted something different.

After earning her Associates degree, Sammie bought a one-way ticket to Costa Rica, where she spent three months immersing herself in an entirely new culture. This experience allowed her to consider next steps. “I needed this time to grow and gain more confidence.”

Upon returning home, she enrolled in and completed FSCJ’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic programs, which led directly to Fire School at First Coast Technical College in St. Augustine.

Individuals begin as Probationary Firefighters and can be promoted to Engineer (Driver). Regardless of experience, starting a job at a new firehouse requires starting at the bottom. After completing Fire School, Sammie worked for the St. Johns Fire Rescue. There, she grew her skills for 5 years before taking a job with the JFRD as she is interested in working for an aggressive major metropolitan fire department.

Firefighters work 10-11 shifts per month and are on for 24 hours and off for 48 hours. Firefighting exemplifies a paramilitary-style hierarchy in an extended family environment. Sammie states, “You live in a house with these people every third day. There’s a close dynamic and inside jokes. Of a firefighter’s rookie year, Sammie likens it to having a first-year learning curve on a typical job combined with additional challenges. “You need to prove yourself. You need to listen more than you talk.”

Firefighting involves a combination of skill, knowledge, experience, and gut instinct to successfully execute a firefighting strategy. A healthy respect for the danger involved in fighting fires cannot border on fear. A sense of urgency drives quick decision-making. Where people may think it’s just about “running into a building,” it involves understanding the science behind fire behavior, requiring knowledge of construction, building codes, electrical and plumbing systems.

There’s also math behind fighting fires. For example, if an average engine holds 500 gallons of water, firefighters must calculate how long it will last on an internal or external fire depending on its structure and other factors until other engines arrive. Calculations are made against the backdrop of a critical situation involving life and property.

While Sammie knew firefighting was a perfect fit, others may want to first explore this potential career pathway. She encourages a ride-a-long and says, “EMT is a semester long. Even if you don’t choose this pathway, it’s worth your time to learn these skills, particularly CPR.” She’s seen others get into paramedic programs and then pursue nursing or medical school, for example. So, this training can be a springboard to healthcare or to public service.

Ultimately, Sammie says of her career choice, “It’s never entered my mind that I couldn’t do it. I just want to be the hardest working person in the room.”