Reaffirming Work

Firefighting in Buncombe County

At the beginning of the semester I took a Wildland Firefighting course sponsored by Forestry. In the Swannanoa Fire Department I learned how to fight wildfires, which on paper is a great way to boost a resume. The theory behind the class was that when the siren on top of Gladfelter went off three times, there was a wildfire in Buncombe County, and any Wilsonites with a certificate and a pair of good boots could come running to fight a fire. Having committed already to a play and 18 credits of classes, I honestly thought I would never answer the call.

On work day, the fire siren went off. I had a choice – answer the call and miss the communal joys of Work Day, or head off into the scorched earth.

I was part of a three-man crew that fought fires for thirteen hours straight on Work Day. While it may seem like grueling work that tears you down (and indeed it does) it is also the most relaxing and rewarding work I have ever done. Climbing down a mountain to put out spot fires isn’t particularly glamorous, and it is exhausting, but it is simple. You can lose yourself in your work, and spend hours upon hours thinking of only one thing, and everything else – your exams, homework, term papers, arguments, frustrations – simply does not exist.

While patting mud balls onto smoking bits of wood, I found myself wondering where else could I have opportunities like this? Warren Wilson values work – real work that has more meaning than just a dollar value. Firefighting is an experience I never planned to explore before I cam to the Swannanoa, and I am eternally grateful. The thrill of answering the air-raid siren in the middle of a class is like nothing else I have ever known. There is a camaraderie among firefighters that isn’t limited to counties or states. All firefighters have done the same backbreaking work of digging a fire line and smiled through a layer of soot into a smoke-filled sky.

Warren Wilson values work, and this value means more in the adult world than many people realize. Warren Wilson’s work program prepares students to fully commit to their work and earn a place for themselves in whatever career they may choose.

Diana