Gotta go! New firefighter called to battle first fire during swearing-in ceremony

PETERSBURG, Va. — Jacob Beville had barely finished signing his name when he was already running toward his first fire.

The 28-year-old joined the Petersburg Fire Department after years in corporate business sales, completed six months at the Crater Regional Fire Academy, and showed up for his first day expecting a swearing-in ceremony, a meal with family and friends, and a return to work. What he got instead may be the most unique first day in the department's history — which dates to the late 1700s.

Beville was in the middle of being sworn in by Petersburg Clerk of Circuit Court My Parham when the tones dropped and a fire call came in.

Cellphone video captured the moment Parham and Beville rushed through the final words of the oath.

"To the best of your ability. I do. Alright sign in this place and you can go. We will take care of the rest," Parham said.

Then, a voice on the video: "Hey, Go Go Go."

Watch: New firefighter races from swearing-in ceremony to fight first fire

With Petersburg Fire Chief Wayne Hoover telling him to go, Beville sprinted to the bay and climbed into the fire engine.

"On the way there, the jump seat fireman, Firefighter Bryan Hamler-Ross said you're on the nozzle. I'm going to get you the loop, pull your loop out of the front bumper, I said yes sir," Beville said.

Minutes later, he saw why they had been called.

"We saw it and the car was up in flames and spread a bit to the garage," Beville said.

Video shows Beville on the nozzle, fighting his first fire as a Petersburg firefighter — just minutes after taking his oath.

"Honestly it's a blur," Beville said. "For the rest of my life, until I retire from the City of Petersburg, I will always remember my first day."

Beville said the career change was driven by a desire to make a tangible difference.

"I feel like I wasn't really doing anything in my life, in terms of impact and I wanted a career where I could see the positive impact I make on people's lives," Beville said.

Parham, whose grandfather was a firefighter, said she won't forget the moment either.

"He didn't know whether he had to do his duty and stay and get sworn in. But he knew he needed to be on that truck and that's where he was going," Parham said.

"I felt the excitement of him wanting to start right away and I loved his enthusiasm," Parham said.

For veteran firefighters, the moment was something special. Captain Jerren Lucas said it's the kind of thing every firefighter dreams about.

"I think that's everybody's dream. Everybody's dream," Lucas said.

"You train hard. You train for so long. To get a chance to do the job that you train for and to be able to do it on your first day, it's a dream come true for any firefighter," Lucas said.

Sergeant Philip Pugh said he had never heard of anything like it.

"Once in a lifetime. I don't think I've ever heard of another incident like that happening in any department," Pugh said.

Pugh had a ready-made description for what Beville experienced.

"As we call it, baptism with fire," Pugh said.

Beville credited the timing to chance.

"It's all luck. And it's just insane timing," Beville said.

Beville is now following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a longtime firefighter with the City of Emporia.

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