Four Leaders 90 Years of Service Shaping Tomorrow’s Firefighters
Published on August 25, 2025
Captains Denise Petraske, Michael Cox, Terence Shumate, and Kevin Newell stand together outside the Charlotte Fire Training Academy, celebrating 90 years of combined service to Charlotte Fire.
At the Charlotte Fire Training Academy, four captains walk the halls with a shared purpose and a combined 90 years of service. Their voices echo in the classrooms and drill yards, not as reminders of the past but as guides for the future. Captains Terence Shumate, Kevin Newell, Denise Petraske, and Michael Cox have spent decades on the front lines, in firehouses, and now at the Academy, shaping the next generation of Charlotte Firefighters.
Together, they embody the resilience, heart, and tradition that has made Charlotte Fire one of the most respected organizations in the nation.
A Calling Found in Service
For Captain Terence Shumate, the journey began in February 2005. He was the first in his family to join the fire service, driven by a deep respect for what the department represented.
“I wanted to be part of the best organization in the eastern part of the United States,” Shumate said. “This job is a calling. It is a craft. If you work hard and put your energy into it, people will take you seriously. You get back what you put into it.”
Captain Terence Shumate, marking 20 years with Charlotte Fire, says the people and the calling of the job have kept him devoted to the organization.
Two decades later, Shumate has witnessed the fire service evolve. He recalls the days when thousands of people applied for a handful of recruit slots. Now the numbers are smaller and the culture is shifting. Still, his commitment has not wavered.
“The organization has stayed true to its mission,” he said. “The biggest change has been the people. The ones you came on with, worked side by side with, start to retire, and part of your history leaves with them. That is why the Academy means so much. The people here, we have all been around one another for years. We are building the future together.”
A Detour to Destiny
Captain Michael Cox took a less traditional path to the fire service. Like Shumate, he joined in February 2005, but before that he was sitting behind a desk in human resources, preparing for a career in business.
“I realized I needed something more engaging,” Cox said. “Through a chain of events, I met firefighters, did a few ride alongs, and 20 years later here I am. Once I saw what it was like to be on the truck, responding when people called for help, I knew this was it.”
Cox says it was the teamwork that sealed it for him. A lifelong athlete, he found a familiar bond in the fire service.
Captain Michael Cox reflects on his 20 years with Charlotte Fire, a career he describes as more than a job but a privilege and a lifestyle.
“Even on the toughest days, it is not really work. We want to come in early, we stay late. It becomes a lifestyle more than a job,” he said.
He carries with him memories that define what it means to make a difference. One in particular stands out, a call where CPR saved a grandfather’s life. The next day, Cox visited the hospital and saw the man holding his young granddaughter on his lap.
“That does not happen often, getting to see the outcome,” Cox said. “But when it does, it reminds you why we do this. Seconds matter, and sometimes those seconds give a family years more together.”
A Childhood Dream Realized
For Captain Kevin Newell, the fire service was never a question. It was a destiny written early.
“My dad was a volunteer firefighter in Lincoln County,” Newell said. “I grew up riding in his pickup truck, going to calls with him. I always knew I wanted to be a professional firefighter.”
He joined Charlotte Fire in July 2000 and has dedicated 25 years to the department. His most rewarding experiences have come at the Academy, where he has watched recruits transform from nervous civilians to confident firefighters.
Captain Kevin Newell, a second-generation firefighter, has dedicated 25 years to Charlotte Fire, fulfilling a childhood dream inspired by his father’s service
“We take people who have only walked by a fire truck or climbed a ladder in a hardware store and turn them into professionals ready for the street,” Newell said. “The best part is seeing the light bulb come on when they apply what they have learned and realize they are ready.”
For Newell, it is about sharing the love he has carried since childhood.
“My advice to every recruit is simple. Leave here with a love for the job,” he said. “If you do that, everything else will follow.”
Inspired by Family, Committed for Life
Captain Denise Petraske shares that same love, sparked by family. Her brother, Keith, now an engineer at Firehouse 7, inspired her when they were in high school. She watched him join the local volunteer department and knew she wanted to be part of it.
“It looked fun,” she said with a laugh. “I grew up playing sports, used to working out and being part of a team. The fire service brought all of that together.”
Petraske joined Charlotte Fire in March 2000 at just 20 years old. Over the years, she has driven rescues, worked in some of the busiest companies in the city, and now dedicates herself to shaping new firefighters.
Captain Denise Petraske, who joined Charlotte Fire at age 20, celebrates 25 years of service and continues to guide new recruits with the same passion that brought her into the fire service.
“Charlotte Fire is the best organization around. There is no reason to leave,” she said. “We have had great leadership, incredible opportunities, and the ability to serve people in their darkest hours. That is what keeps you here.”
For recruits just starting out, Petraske offers both practical wisdom and perspective.
“I can relate to them because I came on so young too,” she said. “I tell them to stick with it. The retirement system is strong, the opportunities are endless, and more than anything, this is about helping people when they need it most. That never gets old.”
The Leader Behind the Leaders
At the Academy, the four captains answer to Division Chief Jeff Richardson. He knows the depth of experience they bring is rare.
“For most fire departments, to have this level of experience in a staff role is unusual,” Richardson said. “A lot of times staff positions are filled by new officers. What we have here is an anomaly, four tenured, highly experienced captains who are motivated by the work itself.”
Richardson says their teamwork mirrors what happens in the firehouses.
Division Chief Jeff Richardson leads the Charlotte Fire Training Academy, where four captains with 90 years of combined service are preparing the future of Charlotte Fire.
“When one of them hits a busy spell, the others step in to help,” he said. “It really does take a village. They coordinate, they instruct, and they do it from real world experience, not just from a book. They have lived it, and that is what makes the difference for our recruits.”
He has pride in seeing their growth.
“I was probably an instructor when they were going through officer development,” Richardson said. “Now I watch them lead here. To see them embrace service, serving the recruits, serving the firefighters who will serve the community, that is the culture we live by.”
A Chief’s Perspective
Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson sees their impact department wide.
“These four captains represent the very best of Charlotte Fire,” Johnson said. “Their 90 years of combined service have not only protected our city but are now shaping its future. Every recruit who passes through the Academy carries a piece of their teaching out into the field. Their dedication is a reminder that our strength lies in the people who choose to serve, day after day, year after year.”
Ninety Years and Counting
Ninety years of combined service is not just a milestone, it is a legacy. The stories of Shumate, Cox, Newell, and Petraske intertwine in the hallways of the Training Academy, where every drill, every lecture, and every shared experience builds the foundation for those who will come after them.
Each captain brings a different perspective, Shumate’s sense of calling, Cox’s rediscovered purpose, Newell’s childhood dream, Petraske’s family inspiration. Together they form a unified front dedicated to preparing Charlotte Fire’s future.
Their careers stand as proof that the fire service is more than a job. It is, as they each described in their own way, a privilege, a lifestyle, and a calling. And for the recruits who step into their classrooms, it is the beginning of a journey shaped by ninety years of wisdom and a passion for service that shows no signs of fading.