GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.– If you could job shadow someone for the day, who would it be? For one local high school student, it was the chance to spend the day as a firefighter.
Alexia Rufus, 15, won the chance to be a firefighter for a day. The Central High School student started the day with a tour of the La Grave Fire Station in Downtown Grand Rapids. Rufus tried on some of the gear, rode along on a river rescue, and got to see the city from high above a ladder truck. It was an eye-opening experience, with one aspect she was surprised to learn about.
“They say they work as a family and this is their house,” said Rufus. “I thought they would be staying home and going to work instead of staying here at the fire house.”
“It’s a great opportunity to educate a young person about our job,” said firefighter, Kristy Kehl. “Just have her be out in the community and possibly learn about a job she might want to pursue in the future.”
Rufus said she hopes to become a firefighter.
