New Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue captain credits Fire Explorer program for igniting spark of passion

Aaron Davis was 20 years old in 2005 and trying to figure out his future, when a family friend suggested he check out the Fire Explorers, a program that gives young adults a window into a career in firefighting.

Davis had just moved from the Portland area to Long Beach and was considering music therapy as a possible avenue. But that one piece of friendly advice eventually brought him to Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s Explorer Post 400.

For years, the nationally recognized program has offered youth ages 16 to 21 the opportunity to visit the city’s six fire stations, join in on biweekly meetings with fire and rescue personnel and determine whether they might want to pursue a similar path for themselves.

A young Davis knew instantly this was what he wanted to do with his life.

“That was kind of my first glimpse into fire services,” recalled Davis, now a 35-year-old married father of two. “Once I found the fire service, or it found me, that’s where my passion and all my energy ended up going.”

After that, Davis got busy. He worked as a reserve firefighter with the cities of Anaheim and Orange, where he learned more about mapping and fire prevention. He became certified as an emergency medical technician in 2007 and, one year later, graduated from the Fire Academy at Santa Ana College.

There was something compelling about a profession that centered around everyone working together to simply help others in need, and that ethos would remain a motivating factor during his years of work and preparation.

Newly promoted Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Capt. Aaron Davis’ interest in the profession was sparked by his 2005 involvement in the city’s Fire Explorer Program at age 20.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

As a reserve firefighter in Santa Ana, Davis got his first taste of working in fire suppression. Throughout this rigorous period, he worked full time at an architecture firm. Whenever he wasn’t on the clock, he was working or studying in the public safety field.

That single-minded focus served him well. In March 2009, he tested for and was selected to serve as a firefighter with Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue, the same department he’d first “explored” as a youth.

And, last month, after 12 years working with the department as a firefighter/EMT, a paramedic and an engineer, Davis, who now lives in Orange County, was promoted to the rank of captain, one of 19 department-wide.

“Capt. Davis has clearly demonstrated his ability to make sound decisions, effectively lead others and provide a strong command presence,” Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano said in a release issued Tuesday. “[He] is a progressive and mindful leader, and there is no question that he will be a highly valued addition to Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s leadership team.”

Davis’ first day of work in the new position at Costa Mesa’s Fire Station No. 6 was Jan. 18. But his long and steady ascent into a leadership position has been a journey filled with highlights and accomplishments along the way.

Now, he thinks of what advice he’d give his younger self, fresh out of the Fire Explorer program.

“I would tell that kid it’s worth it,” Davis said. “It is a lot of hard work — and there’s still a lot of work to be done — but you eat the elephant one bite at a time.”

To learn more about Fire Explorers, visit cmfd.com and click on the “Explorers” tab.

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