“Being a firefighter for the City of Charlotte is the best job in the world. You’re not going to get better than this.”
As a firefighter with the City of Charlotte, Talor Lee is working her dream job that started when she was a little girl. Learn more about Taylor’s journey from a young girl visiting stations with her father, a diesel tech who still works on Charlotte Fire vehicles, to being a Camp Ignite participant to now as a member of Charlotte Fire Battalion 1.
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Being a firefighter for the city of Charlotte is the best job in the world You're not going to get better than this If you want to be a firefighter this is The place to go my name is Taylor Lee I Am a firefighter woman to City of Charlotte and this is Firehouse number Six well let's go take a tour our Station was built in 1929 one of the Oldest prettiest stations in the city of Charlotte this is our Bay We have two fire poles at this station That we go down when we get any calls [Music] I started with Camp ignite it is a camp That girls go to at the fire academy and You actually get to do a bunch of fire Stuff get your hands on the ladders the Hose all the fun stuff and also my dad Has been a mechanic for the city of Charlotte for uh 13 years now and he was Kind of the one that introduced me to it We used to go out to lunch on Saturdays And visit firehouses all the time and I Found myself really interested in what They do I said I could see myself doing This I absolutely do not think I'd be Where I am today if it wasn't for my dad Introducing me to the fire department I've been a firefighter for two years Now I I really love helping people it Just it just makes my heart very happy To be able to just put a smile on
Someone's face it was Christmas Eve and I actually got my first fire All of our families were here because we Were having them over for Christmas Um and we were making chicken and Dumplings and we get hit with a call Sure enough Fire it was really special to me because My mom and dad and daughter were here And it was really cool to me because it Was my first fire We get in the truck we go go go and sure Enough we pull up first do there's Flames coming out of the front room and The window and I pull the line ladder Two makes entry into the to the house And we're right behind them and let's Fire out to be able to look past the Danger and just to be able to be there When someone's having the worst day of Their life is just it's what gets me Going I don't really think about the Dangers I mean I do in a way obviously Because you have to keep your head on a Swivel on this job but I don't really Think about the dangers all I think About is the end goal and that's helping Someone when they're in dire need of it Every morning we put our gear on the Truck we do look over our gear we check Our air packs we check the batteries on Our radio Um everyone has a different routine my Crew is awesome my captain he's filled
With knowledge and I soak up everything That he teaches me every single day You're supposed to get it on under a Minute um I think my fastest time was like 59 Seconds in recruit school don't know if I could do that now but my goal is Always to get dressed before my captain Because You don't want your captain to be Dressed and out of the truck before you But nine times out of ten he's going to Be out of the truck before you my Driver's phenomenal he's been here for a Really long time so he knows Aria well My firefighter two on the back has also Been a fireman for a very long time and He teaches me stuff all the time the Vibe here is just Immaculate I love it For someone to do my job it's going to Take a lot of skill you have to be able To listen you have to be able to keep Your head on a swivel it takes a lot of Knowledge not just with the fire portion But EMT as well what we do is very Dangerous so when you're in academy and You're learning all of this stuff it's Very very important to listen to the Instructors we're very knowledgeable in What they do and they have a passion for It the path you're gonna have to take It's a very long process very Competitive process you know between the Written test the f-pat that you have to
Take that the countless interviews that You have to go through background checks All that good stuff you just got to make Sure that you're you're a pretty Straight person to be able to go through It you can do anything to put your mind To it doesn't matter your age If that's what you want to do you can do It to work for the city is a absolute Dream I'm actually in Battalion one and To be able to drive to the city every Single morning for a shift is like it's It's a dream to be able to see the Queen City on my way into work it's I love it [Music] Foreign [Music]
Living in Charlotte North Carolina
Events
The city of Charlotte is a bustling place with a variety of exciting entertainment options. From live music to touring Broadway shows, there’s something for everyone!
Life
The people of Charlotte are friendly and kind, making it easier to make friends than in other cities. It’s not uncommon for people to come up to you on the street and say hello or ask how your day is going.
Sports
Charlotte is a big sports town with professional and collegiate teams from all over the country. You can watch your favorite team live at the stadium or enjoy a game at a local bar and pub.
Weather
The city’s location in the subtropical southeastern United States allows Charlotte residents to experience a wide range of temperatures throughout the year. Summers are hot and humid, but winters can be relatively cold and dry.
Real Estate
The average home value in Charlotte is $272,664. Considering that the city is on a growth curve, this figure is only likely to increase over time.
Neighborhoods
There are many neighborhoods to choose from in Charlotte, and each has its own unique appeal. Some of the more popular areas include: