Meet Firefighter Anare Holmes!
Q: How long have you been a firefighter, and more specifically, how long have you been a firefighter for AFRD?
A: I started with AFRD on November 21, 2013 and transitioned into the field at Fire Rescue Station 11 on November 20, 2014.
Q: What is a favorite career highlight or moment, to date, or your most important takeaway?
A: Two moments in my fire and rescue career are particularly special. In 2016, Fire Chief Joel Baker appointed me to serve as one of the department’s backup Public Information Officers. The appointment allowed me to experience how all the divisions of labor within the department interface and work together. That birdseye perspective empowered my work as a firefighter. The second was working on Engine 11 during the I-85 bridge collapse on March 30, 2017. To be on scene and witness how our skilled Battalion Chiefs used their incident command knowledge to set up a north and south operational plan was incredible. My crew, under the leadership of Lt. Lloyd Medina, had just parked on Buford Highway seconds before the collapse. To find out there were no fatalities associated with that hazardous scene was truly a miracle.
Q: What is the importance of the LGBTQ+ community as a firefighter?
A: It is important to note there have always been members of the LGBTQ+ community serving within our department and contributing to the quality of life we have in this country. As we listen to NFL Raiders Defensive Lineman Carl Nassib talk about the importance of representation and visibility in his public announcement and sharing his sexual orientation as a gay man, we are reminded that social mores and attitudes are evolving. That means more men, women and those who identify themselves as non-binary, are exhibiting the courage to show up at work authentically without fear of retaliation. Members of the LGBTQ+ community pay taxes just like everyone else. They should be able to see themselves reflected in the workforce they financially support.
