KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – A long list of achievements earned a Dobyns-Bennett graduate a highly sought-after federal job.
Kingsport native Griffin Domby will be the youngest person to become a permanent Wildland Firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service to date. It’s a job that takes most people years to acquire.
It’s a record-setting achievement for the 18-year-old. He said that he was pleasantly surprised to hear the good news.
“I just kind of applied for the job as just a long shot,” Domby said.
Domby said that he credits the ‘Pulaski Club’ at Dobyns-Bennett for his success. The club is named after a piece of fire equipment. The club works with prescribed burns and gives students hands-on experience in dealing with fires.
“It’s given me a lot,” Domby said. “We got to do a lot of prescribed burns and just play with fire.”
The Pulaski Club participated in several controlled burns in grasslands and the mountains with natural resource management agencies.
Domby will head to the Sequoia National Park in California in late June to start his new full-time position. His fire crew will be based out of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests.
He said that he’s full of emotion ahead of starting his dream job.
“I’m ready to get out there in the woods,” Domby said. “It’s a little scary being a teen and having a full-time job, but I’m ready to go.”
Domby said that his tentative start date is June 20.
