Gina Ramacci is not your average student. A cadet in HCC's Fire Science Academy program, she is also a former women's softball coach for Morehead State University in Kentucky, and was once on the Italian National Olympic softball team.
With a tired look on her face, and a sigh of exhaustion, she can only think of three words to describe her feelings after a long day.
"I love it," she said with a grin.
Her classes, which began with 25 students, run from Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Her class has been reduced to four women and 12 men.
"I wanted to go to HCC's Fire Academy because of all the great things I've heard about it," said Ramacci, 28. "The program holds men and women to the same requirements and we are all treated equally, regardless of gender."
The program requires cadets to pass many written and physical exams. According to Ramacci, they must take at least seven written exams with 100 questions each and score 75 percent or higher to pass. If a student fails an exam, only one retake is allowed within 24 hours. Once the retake is used, no more are allowed. "It's a sort of paramilitary-ran program, you have disciplinary sheets and everything is timed," said Ramacci. Cadets must demonstrate that they can finish a rigorous physical challenges.
The "Big Three Circuit" requires cadets to put on a self-contained breathing apparatus: a face mask worn in hostile environment conditions that must be connected to a tube attached to a compressed air tank. The cadet must then disconnect the tube from the face piece and put it in their pocket before moving on to the next task. Afterwards, they must manuver a 50 pound hose while walking through a maze and shooting water out of the hose.After the hose test, cadets pick up an axe-like tool, lift a 24-foot ladder off of a simulated fire truck, and extend the ladder against a wall in the correct position.
Ramacci said that while program has been emotionally and physically harder than Olympic training, she is even more motivated to be the best and to go as far as she can in the fire service. Some might think that Ramacci has experienced a great deal of adversity for wanting to be a firefighter; however, Ramacci said she has received nothing but encouragement from fellow students, instructors, friends, and family. "Our class is like one big family and my instructors are awesome and an inspiration," she said Fire Science instructor, Captain Larry Gary, of the Ybor City fire station, has served as a firefighter for over two decades. Ramacci says that her instructors come straight to class after leaving work at a fire station.
"I want all of my instructors to get the credit they deserve because they are doing some amazing things," she said.
Ramacci doesn't want to be just a firefighter -- but also a life saver. "You take higher risks for higher gain and lower risks for lower gain. To have the opportunity to save a human life or someone's property is definitely a risk I would gladly take on a daily basis."
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