SALISBURY — Graduates of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College firefighter certification program had an opportunity to show off their skills at the first-ever Firefighter Draft Day on Saturday.

The draft was held at the Fire and Emergency Services Training Facility on the Salisbury campus, and was the brainchild of instructor Renee Lutz, who said she wanted to help recent graduates find jobs throughout the area.

“What better way to sell themselves to the departments than by performing all the skills that are required as a firefighter in front of these departments. That was pretty much how draft day was dreamed up. I took it obviously from the football combine and said let’s do it with firemen,” said Lutz.

Around 15 departments attended the showcase on Saturday, with the list including the Salisbury Fire Department, Charlotte Fire Department, Albemarle Fire Department, Kannapolis Fire Department, Granite Quarry Fire Department, Rockwell Fire Department and the Fort Mill Fire Department from South Carolina.

Approximately 30 newly-certified firefighters participated in the skills showcase. Simulations the firefighters participated in throughout the day included vehicle fires, forcing open doors, entering and clearing an occupied room and several tests of their physical abilities, among others.

Lutz said that when she went through the fire academy, departments oftentimes hired a firefighter and paid for them to go through the classes before they could begin work.

“Now a lot of departments are hiring firefighters that are already certified because it cuts down on their costs and allows them to get firemen on the truck and a lot sooner. We’re teaching these recruits, they’re coming out and they’re fully certified, now they have to go on their own and try to get hired, so we’re trying to help that process for them,” said Lutz.

She added that one of the main benefits for the departments is that they are not having to pay to test potential recruits themselves.

“They’ll go through a job skills test, which is essentially a combat challenge. Our hope is that job skills test will save on the costs for the departments where they won’t have to go back and put the recruit through another. They can come out here, watch them perform the job skills test and it checks that box for them,” said Lutz.

As part of the event, RCCC provided the representatives of the various fire departments with scoring sheets as well as the ability to pull aside the students throughout the day and talk with them or even hold impromptu interviews.

Granite Quarry Fire Chief Jason Hord, who also serves as an instructor in the fire training program for RCCC, said that he was unable to personally attend the draft as he was out of town, but that he knew the department had received at least seven applications from prospective firefighters on Saturday.

RCCC Program Coordinator Chad Moss reported that multiple of the firefighters received offers from the departments in attendance as well.

“We’re just trying to build it up from here. We’re just excited to have all the departments participating and all the vendors and the kids. Our goal is just to simply help kids meet their goals, their aspirations,”said Lutz.