Kim Fitzsimmons's life revolves around fire.
The local firefighter has been training and fighting fires since 1981 and at the end of October will travel more than 8,000 miles to train firefighters in Nairobi, Kenya. Fitzsimmons and 20 other firefighters from the U.S. will hold different classes in fire prevention, fire investigation and leadership with the Nairobi Fire Service.
"I think my experience over there will broaden my knowledge of the fire service and I think that any opportunity to train or teach will help my own personal fire fighting and those I work with," Fitzsimmons said. "I'm always trying to further my own experience. It's a dangerous job and we need all the help we can get."
In addition to being a full-time firefighter with Fulton, Fitzsimmons is a Lieutenant and training officer with the Holts Summit Fire Protection District, member of the Fulton Firefighter Union #2945 and instructor at Mid-Missouri Fire Academy.
When she isn't instructing or fighting fires, Fitzsimmons totes along her camera to training sessions and photographs firefighters and the equipment in action. She started a website in 2013 and began selling posters of the photos she takes when training is in session. Some of her photos are on display at a gallery at the Montgomery City Art Council, which will end in November. Some of the money from the sales of her photos and posters will be used to help fund the trip to Nairobi.
The trip, which is through Africa Fire Mission, costs $3,000, but that's not including incidentals like shots that are mandatory prior to the trip. So far Fitzsimmons has raised $1,800, but only has two weeks before she needs to have the final $1,200. In an effort to make it possible, Fitzsimmons has started a GoFundMe page and has accepted support and donations from individual members of Union #2945.
"I just figured it's going to come together," Fitzsimmons said. "Buying the ticket told me the rest will come."
Her daughter Kallie Schaefer has also been helping Fitzsimmons by selling home-baked cookies like peanut butter chocolate chip and white and dark chocolate chip. Schaefer raised $130 over the course of a month to help her mom make the trip.
"I think there's no better person than her to go," Shaefer said. "She has the drive and passion to help other people. This is exactly what she's meant to do."
"I'm not doing this on everyone else's money," Fitzsimmons said. "Some is coming out of my pocket and I'll do whatever I can to make it work."
Fitzsimmons will have three shifts scheduled at the Fulton fire department while she's in Nairobi, however she has been able to switch two of those shifts with other firefighters. For her third shift, Fitzsimmons approached the city of Fulton to find an alternative way to cover her third shift without taking paid time off.
Several attempts to contact Fire Chief Dean Buffington warranted no response, but Fulton City Administrator Bill Johnson said the city will not be providing financial support for the trip and that she will be required to use paid time off to cover her third shift.
"We just don't do that," he said. "If we would have requested that she go to be trained then we would have covered it."
Johnson went on to say that she is providing the training voluntarily and it was not the city's request to send her. If the city had requested it, her third shift would be covered.
"We have a small staff and when someone is going to be gone for a week we have to pull someone on their day off. That might put us into an overtime situation," he said.
Founded in 2012, Africa Fire Mission is a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of fire stations across Africa by providing adequate training and equipment, according to the organization's mission. Nairobi, which is a city of 5 million, has only 156 firefighters who work with little equipment. Founder David Moore hopes to continue growing the abilities and force of the Nairobi Fire Service through the fire training.
"It's a chance to build the fire fighting brotherhood," Fitzsimmons said. "It's an opportunity to help and that's what fire fighting is all about- is helping."
Those interested in helping Fitzsimmons reach her goal to go to Nairobi can make a donation to her GoFundMe page under her name.