Teamwork is important in being a firefighter. Jonel Sawyer can set one straight on that point—literally.

Sawyer is a battalion chief for Harris County ESD 48. She, along with firefighters from the district and other entities, served as instructors at Camp Spark, a three-day camp that introduces girls ages 14-18 to the firefighting and EMT professions. Through classes and simulations, the girls can see for themselves what being a first responder is all about and think about pursuing it as a career.

The three-day camp was held June 6-8 at Hayes Elementary, 21203 Park Timbers Lane.

Back to Sawyer. In the camp she served as a prop, lying on a wooden board used to transport victims to an ambulance. The students tied her up to secure her. Then, together, the students picked up the board and moved it to another location.

Sawyer said this was not the first time she has served as a prop.

“They actually use me sometimes as a prop,” Sawyer said after the drill. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in them. I haven’t gotten hurt yet.”

Sawyer is originally from New Orleans and has 23 years of firefighting experience. She’s been with Harris County ESD 48 for about 11 years. She said a camp such as Camp Spark, which featured opportunities to ask questions and check out the equipment, gets the girls to better understand what firefighters do.

“I love it,” Sawyer said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Activities such as Camp Spark introduce students to firefighting and EMT work as a career opportunity. But there are other pathways one can take to become a first responder.

One example off this involves Jerry Hales. He is the husband of Lia Hales, the district’s community relations coordinator. She said Jerry Hales worked in the U.S. Secret Service before changing careers.

Another example involves Jason Tharp, who is the district’s battalion chief for community risk reduction and public information officer. Before he got into firefighting, he said, he worked as an automobile mechanic. Following a layoff, Tharp said he began volunteering at a local fire station. That experience, he said, inspired him to get the necessary training and become a full-time, professional firefighter.

The need for firefighters, EMTs, and other first responders is strong as Katy and other Southeast Texas communities continue to grow. Tharp said the district welcomed the chance to work with “citizen volunteers,” who perform tasks around the station. In this way, he said, citizens can help the firefighters serve the community while getting a taste of the work.

To be sure, such volunteers do not ride fire trucks, rescue victims or put out fires. Such tasks require proper training. Tharp said administrative openings are available through the district, but the priority is filling the operations positions—those doing the rescuing and firefighting.

Sawyer said there is more to the job than simply putting injured people in an ambulance.

“A lot of the community doesn’t understand what we do,” Sawyer said. “We do a lot of lifesaving things to help keep a person alive a lot of the time.”

Sawyer said performing lifesaving tasks was only a part of what makes her job so rewarding.

“You meet a lot of people, a lot of great people, which to me is a satisfaction of the job,” Sawyer said. “You meet these people, and they appreciate what you do.”

Even when she’s lying down on the job.