BALTIMORE COUNTY — Some may find the idea of working at a fire department stressful, never knowing when a call will come in or what it's about, but not Emily Forish. It's a childhood dream for the 15-year-old to be part of the action.
"Ever since I was five, I’ve loved helping people in general and I loved the idea of becoming a firefighter to protect and serve the community," she said.
Forish has been part of the Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department's Cadet program for three years, putting in the hours of training to one day ride in the fire trucks.
"She comes in ready to go. She’s very attentive of what’s going on, she takes notes, she asks questions and she picks it up really quick," said Tammy Burns, the Cadet Coordinator for Kingsville VFD.
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Volunteering at Kingsville VFD is just one of the many organizations to which Forish dedicates her time. She's also a member of the Jarrettsville Young Marines and helps with projects like picking up trash or landscaping at local churches.
Young Marines focuses on the development of a young person's physical, mentally and morally, which Forish displayed on a camping trip back in February.
"This one little girl didn’t have a sweatshirt. So instead of going to sleep with my sweatshirt and sweatpants, I took off my sweatshirt and I gave it to the girl."
Burns shared a story of Forish putting her training into action when her classmate at Eastern Technical High School suddenly became ill.
"She was able to sit with her, tend to her, make sure she was ok while the nurse was called. She was able to work with the nurse and reassure the girl," said Burns.
Forish's mentors say selfless acts of kindness come naturally to her, and Forish says she enjoys any opportunities where she can make a difference.
"I would rather spend my time giving back to others because it personally makes me feel like I’m doing something to impact someone else’s life," she said.
"I can’t wait to see where she goes because she is going to do something good," said Burns.
