Raycial Lovett’s turning point
It’s pitch black outside Raycial Lovett’s day begins. Lovett wakes up at 4 a.m. for 5:30 a.m. for physical training, which lasts until 7 a.m. that leads to an hour break to shower and eat breakfast. The lecture begins at 8 a.m., and the length varies depending on the topic. For example, something like ventilation requires 40 hours of lecture. Once completed, they begin the training of the skill. Training usually are simulated situations that they may encounter on the job. Something like ventilation Lovett needed to place a ladder and carry a saw to the roof to cut a hole in the roof. These lectures and training typically last until 5 p.m.
“I’m just a normal motherfucker that works hard and plays 10 hours of video games on my off days.” Raycial Lovett, 24, said.
Lovett was a football player who had earned a scholarship to Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. Lovett decided to decline and stay put in Redding. He became lost and unmotivated. He began living in a shed in Logan Germans’ backyard. Unsuccessful in his search to fill the void football had left, Lovett became stuck. “You can come up from anything.” Lovett said. “Just look at me; I used to live in a white guys’ shed.” Believed to be out of options and out of desire, he took a job at the local Best Buy, working part-time to have income. On auto-pilot going through the motions and content with mediocrity. July 23, 2018, the sky turned orange and filled with smoke. The Carr Fire that killed eight and destroyed more than 1,600 structures had struck Redding, California, and the surrounding towns. Half the town was forced to evacuate their homes; life was turned upside down, all except Lovett. It clicked at that moment, firefighting. He found a way to have competition like football, a way to better himself, and a way to contribute to the community. Once the fire had passed, Lovett began to research the steps necessary to achieve his goal. There was only one thing required, and it was the fire academy that just so happened to take place at Shasta College, a local community college in Lovett’s hometown of Redding. Lovett was going to save money and attend the fire academy and become a firefighter.
“I haven’t seen ray have this level of determination since football.” Logan German, 23, said. “He was a real dirtbag before he decided to focus on becoming a firefighter.”
Lovett graduated in May of last year and began his career as a California wildland firefighter. His first summer of fires was an eventful one. Lovett logged countless hours of overtime and rarely was able to sleep in his bed during fire season. However busy it was, Lovett enjoyed his time and can’t wait for next year. He also plans to complete an EMT program this spring to move into the municipal side of firefighting eventually.
