Ben Geverdt doesn’t talk like a recruiter’s brochure. He speaks with the authority of a crew boss, someone who has experienced the fire line and understands the importance of shifting conditions.
However, Geverdt isn’t a grizzled old hand. He’s a University of Kentucky forestry junior in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and this year’s crew lead for the UK Fire Cats — a student wildfire team that rolls with the Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) to prevent and put out forest fires across the Commonwealth during the spring and fall fire seasons.
Geverdt earned his first calluses out west. Before college, he spent a summer working on wildland fires in Montana. That early season gave him the dirt on his boots, dust in his eyes and enough reps to know the difference between training and the heat on his face.
When he moved east to go to UK and heard there was a crew that did the work for real, he didn’t hesitate. Most students wait a year to stack coursework and certifications. Geverdt already had the classes and red-card requirements, so he was able to step onto the roster as a freshman. Two years later, he’s the one setting the tone at the briefing.
The Fire Cats program is a partnership among the UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, KDF and the U.S. Forest Service.
