GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Ruby Brock has always known she wanted to become a firefighter. She did not expect to be living out her lifelong dream at only 19 years old.
“I had an interest in the fire service, and I thought I had to wait until after high school or even after college to get started,” she said. “My uncle, he's also a firefighter at a different department, he was like, ‘Hey, like, you don't have to wait, like, you can get started sooner.’”
That is when Brock contacted the Plainfield Township Fire Department. With their help, she was able to set up a work-study program with her high school.
After her high school’s work-study program, Brock then completed the Plainfield Township Fire Academy.
“I started here when I was 17, which is obviously really young,” she said. “I was in high school, and so I've been the youngest since I've been here.”
Corey Smith, a part-time Plainfield Township firefighter, is in charge of their high school mentorship program. He says getting students who care so much for this line of work is a privilege.
“That's kind of like the ultimate badge of honor,” he said. “Where you get a high school student like Ruby, who you've spoken with, kind of come up through the ranks, understand that what the fire service is all about, and then really make that dedication and say, ‘Hey, this is what I want to do.’”
Daniel Benedict, a senior at Rockford High School, has been in the program for two months. So far, he’s been able to shadow crews in the field, learn how to monitor vitals and train for CPR.
“It’s been fun,” Benedict said. “It definitely opens your eyes to see like, how firefighters go through their day and what they do for us.”