See UC Davis Student Firefighters in Training

September 23, 2026
Photography by Anjie Cook | Text by Brenda Dawson

On a cool morning in August, a mix of UC Davis student firefighters, student recruits, and staff firefighters practiced a series of skills near the campus fire station – this time with a photographer in their midst. The training included ground-ladder drills (carrying, raising, climbing and heeling the ladder) and hose deployment drills (exiting the fire truck, running hose, connecting to a hydrant and establishing water supply).

Student firefighters in yellow helmets preparing hoses and ladder beside a red fire truck.
Student firefighter in turnout gear carrying a ladder on her shoulder, another student firefighter sets up a ladder in the background.
A student firefighter in turnout gear climbing a ladder, while another student firefighter sets up a ladder in the background.
Student Life at Station 34 

Each month, the 15 UC Davis students selected to live at the fire station complete two training sessions and 80 hours of shifts alongside coursework in a range of majors. 

UC Davis is one of only two universities in the country that offers a residential firefighter program to students at its own on-campus fire station (the other is University of Alaska Fairbanks). 

After completing the two-year program, students can earn Firefighter 1 certification and other emergency services licenses.

Instructor speaking to a group of student firefighters next to a firetruck.
Student firefighter in turnout gear kneeling and folding a large firetruck hose to put away.
Student firefighter in turnout gear hauling a large hose from a fire truck over his shoulder.
Student firefighter in turnout gear stepping into a red fire truck with an exposed control panel.
Two student firefighters detaching a hose from a fire hydrant.
From the Photographer

Repeated practice not only helps the students prepare to jump when a call comes in, but today it meant FOA’s photographer Anjie Cook had a chance to identify favorite spots to catch a face in focus or compose a clean triangle between the truck and hose.

“Action shots like these are a part of FOA that you might not normally get to see,” Cook explained. “I try to capture an action for the viewer so it will be clear what’s happening without the rest of the context.”

Three firefighters in turnout gear and yellow helmets raising ladders.
Student firefighter testing a fire hydrant that's shooting out high pressure water, a group of student firefighters watch in the background.
A student firefighter gathers up a firehose that is laid out on the ground and still spilling out remaining water.
Student firefighter in turnout gear holding the base of a ladder and looking up and smiling.
From the Fire Department

“What I’m most proud of is that the program develops far more than firefighting skills. It helps students become leaders who are disciplined, compassionate, accountable, and service-oriented,” said Cess Mercado, UC Davis’ deputy fire chief, who first served as an Aggie student firefighter himself in 1999.

Outreach for the next class will start in the fall quarter of 2027, followed by EMT training and student fire academy training later in 2028. Find out more about the Student Firefighter Program.
A student firefighter lifting himself up onto the side of a firetruck.

Thank you to the students who participated in this photoshoot: Evan Bennett, Molly Breznikar, Jonathan Covello, Laura Greer, Preston Hawthorn, Alexander Osofsky, Elias Pariser, Brady Simon, Laney Ramirez, Sullivan Rothwell

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FOA in Photos