The Littlest Fireman

Fireman Young Fireman A very young man has a very clear picture of what he wants to be when he grows up.

by Jere Hough

Published: Wed, October 15, 2008 - 1:59 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, October 15, 2008 - 2:24 pm CST

A fire is reported to the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department. Here comes the first truck...lights flashing, siren wailing, horn blaring. The driver stops the truck a safe distance from the flames...and pulls out the hose. In mere moments he has water on the fire.
If Hunter Kinnard looks pretty experienced at this...he should. Although he's only 8 years old, he's been practicing most of his life...along side his fireman father.
Hercules Kinnard, a volunteer fireman in Cantonment, says, "He [Hunter] would train with us, I mean non-stop. Being out there wanting to help pull the hose, wanting to help spray the hose, wanting to ride on the trucks. He's been involved snce he could walk."
Mom, Kristi Smith, has seen all this at home. "He's very determined to be a firefighter when he grows up," she says, "it makes me nervous, but that's what he wants to do. He trains at home. He trains at the station. He takes it very seriously. He has a smoke machine at home. He smokes up the shop, and puts on an air pack and his mask and trains with stuffed animals and dolls."
Hunter struggles a bit with the clumsy air tank and attached valves. The yellow steel air tank is heavy!
His mother continues, "He's very serious about it...It's not a game to him. He has a very big heart."
He also has his own fire truck! Built by his stepfather, Johnell Smith, who explains, "He always wanted a fire truck...couldn't ever find any that really fit him, size-wise, so we built it."
Being a fireman means studying too. Hunter has completed online courses and has already passed the CPR test...but is too young to get a card!
Incidentally, Hunter's favorite movie? "Backdraft," of course! And he does have at least one other outside interest...He's a two time Little League All-Start Baseball Player.

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