Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighter carries on legacy from department's first class
DORAL - Miami-Dade Fire Rescue welcomed 31 new firefighters Friday.
One recruit from the Class 151 is carrying on the legacy of service from the department's very first class.
"Recruit Jessica Givens pinned by her grandfather retired Miami-Dade Rescue firefighter Daniel Burry from Class 1," the announcement said.
Givens, 21, has spent a lot of time looking up to her grandfather and now she's following in his footsteps.
"He's been taking me to the fire stations growing up and teaching me what it is to be a firefighter and what it is to become a firefighter," she told CBS News Miami.
Speaking of which, Burry remembered what it was like training in the very first class back in 1960.
"There were 12 of us in the class, two instructors and the fire chief, and that was our crowd, and our ceremony lasted 4 minutes," he recalled.
Burry went on to serve as a firefighter for 32 years, and in that time, inspired his granddaughter to do the same. He could not be prouder to pin on her badge at the graduation ceremony.
"That's something. All these other grandkids had no interest at all, and all of sudden here she comes to do what I did," Burry said.
Training has also changed a lot since 1960, the 31 graduates now have much more advanced equipment, including better safety gear, and are trained with basic life support skill. It's a lot more demanding, but there was never doubt for Givens.
"I love the aspect of having to work together to come to a solution, especially for such a great career," she said.
And she may have had a lucky start, not only is it St. Patrick's Day. It's also her grandfather's birthday, he turned 88 years old.
