BRADLEY CO., Tenn. — Putting on firefighter gear gives participants a small sense of what crews take on every day when they are dispatched to a call — and that’s what Bradley County Fire Rescue offered those who showed up to their annual “Fire Ops” event.
Elected officials, 911 operators and a burn survivor got a firsthand look at firefighter training at Bradley County Fire Station 1, experiencing the heat firefighters face during training.
Bradley County Fire Rescue is not only bringing people closer to its work but also maintaining a connection with someone its crews helped save.
“I wanted to meet the people that showed up to my fire, and the paramedics, too, that helped save me,’ said Kayla Valdivia, a burn survivor.
Valdivia spent 13 days in Vanderbilt’s burn unit after a house fire in December 2024 left about 36% of her body burned.
Since then, she has made it a point to stay connected with the firefighters and paramedics who helped her survive.
“Without their hard work and dedication, I would not be here today,’ Valdivia said.
Valdivia learned firsthand how important the Bradley County Fire and Rescue response is, but most people do not grasp the training that prepares firefighters before they respond to a call…