From CTC to FOA: An interview with Austin Elgin

October 30, 2023

Intentional (adj.): done by intention or design.

Intentional is a word that keeps coming up for Anderson City Fire Department Engineer Austin Elgin. It’s a word – or, better yet, a motto of sorts – used repeatedly during the Fire Officer Academy program he attended in early October. It is important for students of the program to know that everything they go through that week, and everything they went through to get to that point, was designed with purpose, care, and detail. They cannot yet see the fruits of their labor but have to believe that the seeds planted will blossom.

“Trust the process,” they’re told.

Austin absorbed what he was being taught throughout that week, much like he has for the last decade. He’s dedicated to learning as much about the craft as he can and is eager to better himself for the people around him. Despite being young, despite being an Engineer, and despite the “what if’s” of comparison that plagued him, Austin thrived at the Fire Officer Academy.

It wasn’t all that long ago that Austin was a student at Belton Honea-Path and enrolled in the Career and Technology Center firefighter program. The son and grandson of volunteer firefighters and already a Junior firefighter with Rocks Springs in Belton, Austin was willing to give firefighting a go, but had his sights set on a career in the medical field, though.

“I had plans on being a physical therapist,” he said. Enter Luke Riddle, former Firefighter instructor at the Anderson District II Career and Technology Center.

“From the moment I waked in the door, I felt like I was held to a different standard because Luke knew my dad,” Austin said. “I think he expected a little bit more of me.”

Luke had a profound impact on Austin, mentoring him through his junior and senior years of high school and encouraging him to pursue higher education. Austin graduated high school with both Firefighter I and Firefighter II; he was officially job-ready certified.

“Luke took the time to mentor us… he could see what we couldn’t see in us,” Austin said about his CTC instructor, friend, and mentor. “At the time we didn’t understand fully what we were getting into. He did a great job putting us in situations where, ‘Hey, you’re going to have to deal with this and stuff you’ve never seen before.’”

Those physical therapy plans never came to fruition. Instead, after a few hiccups along the way, Austin graduated from Anderson University with a degree in Emergency Management. He holds a few jobs now, one being his full-time gig at Anderson City Fire and another being part-time at the Anderson County Emergency Management.

“I honestly don’t think I’d be where I am [without Luke] in all honesty, cause I had a completely different path in mind than firefighting,” Austin continued. “It was a combination of him and getting the experience on the volunteer side that opened up the gates.”

Austin was promoted to Engineer almost four years to the day after he was hired. His eagerness to learn and his work ethic stood out to Anderson City Fire Chief Charlie King. Chief King and Anderson Fire are big supporters of the Association and regularly send members to our trainings and events. When the first Fire Officer Academy: The Company Officer class graduated in May 2022, Anderson City Fire Lt. Brandon Stroud was among them.

“This is a special program that needs to remain special and selective,” Lt. Stroud said after graduation. “Granted, all officers need to go through this program, but I don’t believe all will get the message and the purpose of the program. I don’t consider myself elite by any means, but I believe this program is elite.”

Applications for the October 23-02 offering of the program opened in early June 2023. Austin received a text from Chief King letting Austin know he thought he’d benefit from the program. Austin talked to Lt. Stroud to get the opinion of someone who’d been there. It took some time and a lot of personal reflection, but Austin finally sat down to apply.

“I honestly didn’t think I was ready for it,” Austin admitted. “But chief believed in me, and I had to really sit and think about where I was, where I wanted to be, how I wanted to go about it, and then apply and see what happens. Even through that whole thing, there was some self-doubt here and there.”

Austin’s resume, cover letter, and application were impressive; after making it through the initial selection, Austin then had to complete dozens of hours of online work to make the final roster. He credits his college experience in helping him excel throughout the entire application process. In the end, Austin was among only 25 selected to attend the Fire Officer Academy 23-02.

Research tells us first impressions are formed in the first seven seconds of meeting; when the OA 23-02 cohort met for the first time, Austin immediately took notice of the seniority in the room.

“I walked in the door and there was a lot of white helmets, lot of red helmets, lots of lieutenants and captains,” he continued, “and here I am with a bright yellow shield that says Engineer on it.”

It took a few days before he felt like he belonged. It was during an evening bay session listening to the likes of Bruce Kline and Joe Palmer that Austin realized he was exactly where he needed to be, doing exactly what he needed to be doing.

“Yes, I’m young, but I’m gaining that same experience and I belong here because I’m not doing anything but learning and gaining valuable experience for the future,” he said. “No matter if I’m an officer or not, this is going to benefit me more than anything I have ever taken.”

When asked about what has changed since he graduated from the Fire Officer Academy, Austin’s answer was simple: his attitude.

“I’ve learned that everything we do for our community and people we work with is absolutely intentional and all to better them. Everything that we do is for them,” Austin said, recalling an iteration of the Fire Officer Academy’s ‘They Come First’ mantra found in the FOA creed.

In many ways, Austin’s career has come full circle. He’s talking to the CTC kids who come to Anderson twice a week, just like he did. He’s giving back to the community that raised him. He’s intentional with how he spends his time on shift.

“Taking the time to invest in our people, taking the time to invest in them, taking the time to go train with your company, taking time to find something to do that is going to benefit the department as a whole, has become one of the things I’ve been trying to do,” Austin said.

What’s next for someone when they’ve graduated high school, earned a college degree, and completed the Fire Officer Academy program in less than a decade?

“I haven’t sat down and thought about what the end goal is,” Austin admitted before wrapping up to head to job number three. He has a habit of sticking with things—Austin’s been working at a local Christmas tree farm every holiday season since high school.

We’re glad he stuck with the fire service, too.