Captain Amy Gray follows brother into Covington Fire Department, loves her job, community engagement

By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

She looks more like a jockey – but don’t let that fool you. She is fearless. She’s carried a 75-pound vest during a three-and-a-half-minute stair climb. And the vest looks like it weighs more than her. But again, do not let that fool you.

Amy Gray is a tough cookie – and, she is also the Captain of the Covington Fire Department, with her office at – 100 E. Robbins Street.

“I’ve been a firefighter for 20 years,” she told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “I have seven siblings. My older brother was a Covington firefighter as well. He retired last year.”

So, Captain Gray, what made you consider firefighting as a career?

“I saw a sign advertising CPR class being offered years ago,” she said, “and I thought that would be cool.”

Amy’s dad had a major heart attack when she was 14, she recalled, and remembered first responders coming to his aid. “I’ll never forget how they treated our family,” she said.

And, she will probably never forget the agility test required to become a fire fighter.

“Pulling the hose, in a set time, and, of course wearing that 75-pound vest and doing a stair climb in about three-and-half minutes,” she remembered vividly.

There is also a written test, she said, yet there is no set height or weight requirements for the job. Nor how one can measure bravery.

Scared – was the captain ever scared?

“There’s usually so much going on,” she said, “you just don’t even think about being scared. I remember my first fire, in Covington, it was like an action movie.”

The present-day Covington fire department was recently rated the best in Northern Kentucky, she noted. The department has 127 total members – two captains – and four women.

“We work 24 hours on — and off for 48,” Captain Gray said. “We train daily, check our trucks, do hydrant inspections, outreach, and work-out in our own gym in the building.”

She said a safety test is conducted each morning – which consists of water in the trucks, fuel, and oil. Covington has three trucks, including the popular Tiller truck – also known as a tractor-drawn aerial or hook-and-ladder truck – they have a specialized turntable ladder mounted on a semi-trailer truck.

“The Tiller is the coolest job at the fire house,” she said. “The Tiller is a a sought-after position, and a test is required.”

The person atop of the back of the Tiller has a safety pedal, which is used for the steering.

As for the water content, the captain says each truck holds some 500 gallons and has a 50-60-gallon gas tank.

“We have a fill-station at the fire house,” she said, “and it takes about 20 minutes.”

But what if a fire fighter has as fear of heights?

“We do have some,” she says, “and they must adapt, however, we work with them, and we would never set someone up for failure.”

So why do youngsters have more of a love for fire fighters than policemen, Captain?

“Well, most kids grew up playing with toy fire trucks,” she said, “and remember cops wear vests, makes them look bigger than they really are. And we are here to give people a safe place.”

The captain also says her community outreach has also served the department well.

“We want people in the community to see our faces before an emergency,” she said. “We also have an outreach program with the high schools. We are letting those youngsters see if they would like to become firefighters.”

That program — for high school seniors – permits them to wear the gear – not actually fight – but they get to see the life of a fire fighter.

“In fact,” Gray adds, “Covington will train and send a prospective fire fighter to EMT School, and pay.”

Last year, she said Covington had several hundred fires – the biggest days she claims are the Fourth of July with fireworks, Christmas, and Thanksgiving with people unfamiliar with deep friers.

With all that pressure, and danger, how does the captain relax?

“I meditate a lot:” she said.

She must be doing something right. She is on the top of the list for Fire Chief – Covington has never had a female Chief.