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Connor says the course was extremely
hard, and not everyone who starts the class
finishes with their certification. “We learned
about victim rescue, fire suppression, and
other things. Basically, it was taking the
principals we learned while in the Fire
Academy and studying them more in depth. It
was essential to be in top physical condition.”
The psychological aspect of the class was
challenging as well. Connor says it was really
more mental than physical. “You have to be
able to think under extreme pressure. I’d say it
was 80% mental and 20% physical. You are
putting yourself in a stressful situation, so it is
critical to be mentally prepared to do that.”
Connor says he always knew he had it in him.
When Cameron and Connor talked about
taking the class together, they were both “all
in.” The fact that they both completed the
course and got their certification in Smoke
Diving is impressive. “There is only a 25-30%
pass rate,” says Cameron. “It is grueling. We
had to be in full gear all day except for lunch.
It was like being in a brick oven all day. We
were given scenarios to perform with simulated
fire tactics. We were in fully smoked out
buildings where we couldn’t see anything,
so we had to rely on our skills. We followed
a left-hand or right-hand pattern to navigate.”
Cameron and Connor were the first brothers
to go together and pass the course.
It’s not unusual for both Madison and
Ridgeland Fire Departments to respond to the
same call. “Just recently, both Cameron and
I responded to the same apartment fire,”
Connor says.
The brothers grew up in Madison,
attending Madison Station, Madison Middle,
and graduating from Madison Central. Both
live in Madison County. Cameron is still single,
while Connor is married. He and his wife,
June, are expecting a baby boy in June.
Hometown MADISON • 41