Carley Adams is a senior at Lebanon High School and is currently an intern at the Lebanon Fire Department through the Work-Based Learning program. Aside from the internship, Adams is a highly involved individual including being an officer for Lebanon Key Club, LHS Ambassadors, is Editor for the Yearbook (Cedars), a Student Section Leader, and is a member of Lebanon FFA and National Honors Society. In her athletic endeavors, Carley has been involved in Basketball, and Volleyball and is currently on the Soccer, Track/Field, and Wrestling team. Carley Adams decided to pursue an internship at the fire department after realizing she prefers “more of a workforce, rather than a career at a desk.” Throughout her internship, fellow firefighters have witnessed Carley’s strong work ethic and dedication to “giving it her all.” Chief Jason Hendricks emphasizes that Carley is “willing to learn.” With the hopes of continuing to find individuals who push themselves to be better along with their fellow workers, Hendricks hopes that although these interns are young adults, that through this experience, they “might be able to persuade them to come over to us.” Carley Adams embodies the spirit of determination and teamwork, inspiring those around her both on and off the field.
Carley: “My name is Carley Adams. I’m a senior at Lebanon High School. I’m involved in sports like soccer, wrestling, and track and field. I’m also involved in various clubs like Yearbook, Key Club, and LHS Ambassadors. I decided to pursue my internship at the fire department because I’m interested in more of a workforce than a career at a desk. I like to be able to help people in my own way and have a job that’s not the same every single day.”
Jason Hendrix: “She’s willing to learn; she’s just grabbing tools. She’ll watch the demonstration and then try it herself. As far as the crews go, they just really love to see someone take it by the reins and just really want to pick up as much as they can.”
Carley: “So we are at the training tower right now. I just did my first live burn. I went in with Chief Batts. I’m able to sit and observe and watch the fire start and how it moves with the oxygen around it and the material it’s able to grab onto. Just able to see how we can manipulate the fires, so the firefighters in there are able to use it to do live fire rescue.”
Jason: “Well, really, me personally, when I see a firefighter come to the fire department, obviously I know they are in high school and this is like a class credit they are getting for this internship. And when we get someone that comes in there, I really want to see them give it the effort and give it the want to be there. We’ve had some more negative experiences in the past, but a lot of the time we get people in there who really want to be there. We know sometimes we weren’t their first choice; maybe they wanted to go somewhere else first. But we were what they got. It’s great to see them give it their all. As far as actual firefighters that get on a career job somewhere, we look for the person who has the drive and wants to give it their all every single day and get better and better. When we see an intern come in here with that kind of attitude, it makes us feel really good because we think, even though they might be 18 years old or so, we might be able to persuade them to come over and be a part of us. That’s really what we want because we want a group of people that work well together and push each other to be better every single time they are doing anything. That’s really what we want to see when we have an intern come in there—just someone who has it all.”
Carley: “My favorite part thus far has been working with ropes—just being able to see how that has a role in being able to rescue someone. Whether it’s from high up or taking them up to the top of the building, just to get them out safely. Just being able to use it hands-on and being physical with my work and seeing how that can play a role in helping people. Carley: If you’re going into a firefighter internship, I would say give it your all and be willing to show up and do whatever you can and be involved. You get out of it what you put into it. If you’re going into any internship in general, just make sure it’s something you think you would like and just go in and have fun and learn.”
Recent Comments