Harmony Kelley was the first and only female in the training class Wednesday in Alex City. She suited up, strapping on 75 pounds worth of gear.
“You do have to be strong. I just want to do my best," the 28-year-old said.
Kelley joined her fellow firefighters from five different departments in a live fire exercise, the burning of a vacant duplex.
“The bottom line is you set up with your training and be the best version of yourself that you can be," said Kelley, a firefighter with the Sylacauga Fire Department.
These kinds of training sessions may be one of the reasons why fire fatalities in Alabama are trending downward.
“The equipment and training we have and the thermal imaging cameras we have allows us to find somebody in the structure so much faster," said Alex City Fire Department Capt. Jeff Brewer.