AuburnTigers.com
    Fired Up For Football Coaching staff visits city firefighters
    Trooper Taylor and Lt. Clay Carson

    Trooper Taylor and Lt. Clay Carson

    April 4, 2012

    AUBURN -- The Auburn football coaching staff paid a visit to another great Auburn team Tuesday afternoon, stopping by Auburn Fire Company #1 to have lunch with a number of the city's firefighters.

    "These folks are community leaders, true community servants," said Auburn head coach Gene Chizik. "For everything they do in the Auburn community in keeping our families and homes safe, it's nice to have the chance to come by and fellowship and say thanks."

    The visit was initiated when, after consulting with the Auburn Fire Division chiefs, firefighter Matt Stacy sent an email inviting the coaches to visit the stationhouse any time. "We're here 24/7," Stacy explained, "so we left it up to the coaches to schedule."

    Auburn has a force of fully certified firefighters, and has one of the highest percentages of college-educated firefighters of any municipality in the nation, thanks to a unique student firefighter program. Nearly 50 firefighters are currently part of this program, where licensed firefighters are enrolled in college classes at Auburn University or other local institutions, and are able to clock in and out of their shifts to attend classes; after meeting specific progress and grade-point requirements each semester, they are reimbursed for their tuition.

    The #1 station is the headquarters of the Auburn Fire Division, and is the only station with both a ladder company and engine company. The department answered 4,025 calls for service during the past year.

    More than 25 firefighters ate lunch with the Tiger coaching staff, then offered tours of their equipment and fire station. Firefighters and their families prepared the meal, with each of Auburn's five fire stations contributing one of its specialties to the menu of smoked pork, baked beans, cucumber slaw, potato salad, green bean casserole, cornbread, chocolate cake and banana pudding.

    But what if the fire alarm had sounded during the meal? "We would have put down our plates like always and taken off," Stacy said.

     

     

    "Something like this doesn't happen every day," said Auburn battalion commander Matt Jordan. "This is a great chance for fellowship and to share some ideas about teamwork and commitment to duty. This has been a really enjoyable day."

    A-Day Is Coming! Auburn will unveil statues commemorating the school's three Heisman Trophy winners, Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Cam Newton, in a ceremony on Sat., April 14, at 10 a.m. CT prior to Auburn's annual spring game, A-Day. The ceremony will take place on the east side of Jordan-Hare Stadium, where each statue will be permanently located. Sullivan, Jackson and Newton are scheduled to be in attendance for the event.

    A-Day tickets are $5 for general fans and free for AU students with an Auburn Ignited card. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line on April 14. To purchase tickets visit www.aubtix.com.

    Join the "Team Behind the Team" by joining the Tigers Unlimited Football Ticket Priority Program. Gray Zone seating is available for the 2012 season. For more information or to join Tigers Unlimited visit www.tigersunlimited.com or call 855-AUB-2010, ext 2.

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