Ben Geverdt doesn’t talk like a recruiter’s brochure. He speaks with the authority of a crew boss, someone who has experienced the fire line and understands the importance of shifting conditions. However, Geverdt isn’t a grizzled old hand. He’s a University of Kentucky forestry junior in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and this year’s crew lead for the UK Fire Cats — a student wildfire team that rolls with the Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) to prevent and put out forest fires across the Commonwealth during the spring and fall fire seasons. 

“You can have all the coursework in the world, but experience is what opens doors,” Geverdt said. “Fire Cats lets you build that while you’re in school. When the call comes, we show up ready, work safe and do the job well.” 

Geverdt earned his first calluses out west. Before college, he spent a summer working on wildland fires in Montana. That early season gave him the dirt on his boots, dust in his eyes and enough reps to know the difference between training and the heat on his face. 

When he moved east to go to UK and heard there was a crew that did the work for real, he didn’t hesitate. Most students wait a year to stack coursework and certifications. Geverdt already had the classes and red-card requirements, so he was able to step onto the roster as a freshman. Two years later, he’s the one setting the tone at the briefing. 

The Fire Cats program is a partnership among the UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), KDF and the U.S. Forest Service. Students are hired through KDF and work Kentucky’s two fire seasons: Feb. 15–April 30 and Oct. 1–Dec. 15. 

“The UK Forestry undergraduate program emphasizes skill development, so graduates are ready for careers in forestry, wildlife and natural resources,” said Steven Price, professor and interim FNR chair. “Fire Cats is a perfect example; students gain hands-on experience with both fire suppression and controlled burns for management.” 

KDF chief forester Nick Valentine said that the Fire Cats group provides a great benefit and that he was thrilled to lead and mentor the first group in 2014. 

“When I was approached about leading and mentoring the first group of Fire Cats, I was excited about the opportunity to pass on the knowledge I had gained to these forestry students, hoping to help them jump-start their careers after graduation,” Valentine said. “This is a way for them to gain real-world experience and build their resume, while earning some money at the same time. They are an asset to the Division of Forestry by adding an additional firefighting crew to help battle wildfires.” 

What a Montana seasons teach 

This past summer, Geverdt worked as a seasonal on a Type 6 engine — an on- or off-road fire truck that is highly maneuverable and designed for accessing rough terrain — out of Big Timber, Montana. In June and July, when the snow is still melting, his engine headed to the Southwest United States for a few weeks to help where a fire had ramped up. By late July and August, as Montana dried out, the crew hovered closer to home, putting out fires in local communities. 

Geverdt says no two calls are the same.  

“The incident commander takes charge, sizes-up and decides on a plan of attack: digging line, spraying water, calling aircraft or combining other resources,” Geverdt said. “The basics stay the same — anchor, flank and pinch. Start from a place where the fire can’t get around you, usually the rear; work up the flanks; pinch where flame intensity runs hottest. Tactics changed with fuel, slope, and wind, but the basics stay the same.” 

The Fire Cats crew 

Back in Kentucky, Geverdt has watched the Fire Cats roster grow. When he started, the crew was small. Now, with 18 on the crew, he sees a team that can put in high quality work, no matter the situation.  

Making the team isn’t easy. The roster is capped at 21 and students must complete the Wildland Firefighter Type 2 coursework before they are eligible. Last season, the group rolled to eight to 10 fires. He is quick to add that this is not the full picture statewide, but enough to turn classroom talk into muscle memory. 

“Experience is everything,” he said. “You show up, you’ve done the work before, and you do it again — better.” 

From the start, the KDF and the Daniel Boone National Forest backed the model because it added capacity for the state and gave students a straight path to seasonal and career roles. A busy first spring proved the group’s worth: Students trained, earned a paycheck and showed up where manpower made the difference. 

“Since then, the roster has grown, we’re better equipped and better trained, and local resources know what they’re getting when the Fire Cats roll up,” Geverdt said. “Students show up ready to work in hills, hollers and everything in between. It’s a simple promise: we work hard, we work safe; anchor, flank and pinch and we get it done.” 

Geverdt’s plan after graduation is simple. Go back west and make it full-time.   

What does it take to be a UK Fire Cat? 

Ask him what makes a good student firefighter and he doesn’t reach for slogans. Show up on time. Carry the weight without complaint. Keep your head when the assignment is dull or dirty. He likes the crew culture that grows in the gray areas between calls — long drives, quick meals and the quiet after mop-up when everyone looks the same shade of soot. 

He also knows the Commonwealth is changing. Hotter, drier late summers have him expecting a lively fall. He says that’s not a forecast. That’s a mindset.  

“We can’t control the season,” he said. “But we’re ready for it.” 

To learn more about the UK Fire Cats — Student Wildland Firefighter Organization, visit https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/UK-fire-cats. 

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Writer: Jordan Strickler, jstrickler@uky.edu 

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