The Engineered Grit of a Charlotte Firefighter

Engineer Levi Niswander stands ready beside his truck. Known for his strength and steady presence, he plays a critical role in Charlotte Fire’s frontline response. 

By Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire 

On May 18, 2023, as thick smoke towered above SouthPark, Engineer Levi Niswander stood on the turntable of Ladder 1 and refused to back down. Water surged from the aerial nozzle as flames rolled through a multi-story apartment construction site. Niswander stayed locked in for hours, helping to protect a rescue operation already underway inside. 

A view of Ladder 1 extended toward the burning SouthPark apartment complex on May 18, 2023. Niswander operated the aerial master stream through the height of the fire. 

“I stood on the turntable from I think around 9:50 until 4,” Niswander said. “I stood on there the whole time.” 

He wasn’t alone in the fight, but for a moment captured in a photo that quickly spread throughout Charlotte Fire and beyond, it was his silhouette—steady, focused, and unflinching—that came to represent the heart of the response. 

“What people saw was courage in the face of chaos,” said Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson. “What they didn’t see was the discipline, training, and composure behind it. Levi represents the best of Charlotte Fire.” 

Back at the firehouse, Niswander grins beneath the American flag. His service is marked by strength, precision, and a relentless commitment to the job. 

Niswander didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in fire service. He was raised in a town of about 500 people in Iowa, where the local volunteer department might answer ten calls a year. Firefighting wasn’t on his radar—until a conversation in a Charlotte gym changed everything. 

“I was a personal trainer at the time,” he said. “One of the guys there was a firefighter. I asked what he did all day, because he was always in the gym, and he said, ‘I probably work more hours than you do.’ He invited me to do a ride-along. I went to Station 7 and I was hooked.” 

That was 2009. It took three rounds of applications, but Niswander joined Charlotte Fire in Class 89 in 2012. Over the years, he has served on engines and ladders and was promoted to engineer in 2019. Today, he works on Ladder 1, one of the busiest companies in the city. 

“It’s still the best job in the world,” Niswander said. “And I tell everybody that. If they’re not sure what they want to do in life, I say, think about this. It’s great. It’s so much fun.” 

Niswander’s responsibilities are far more than simply driving the truck. As an engineer, he is responsible for making sure Ladder 1 is safe, fully operational, and positioned for maximum impact when they arrive on scene. 

“You don’t know how the last person checked it,” he said. “Maybe it was a firefighter filling in. Maybe something broke overnight. I’ve found nails in tires. A loose shock. A blinker not working. You have to check it every shift.” 

On scene, the work doesn’t stop. Engineers on ladders don’t typically go inside the structure. Instead, they’re constantly on the move—positioning the aerial, throwing ground ladders, setting up ventilation fans, and supporting the team with everything they might need. 

Niswander stays alert behind the wheel of Ladder 1, wearing a headset to monitor both traffic and radio communications. Safe transport is one of his top priorities. 

“My whole thought process is, what might I need if I were going inside,” Niswander said. “If they’re asking for something, I probably haven’t done my job.” 

Driving is its own challenge. Niswander wears a headset with one ear exposed so he can hear traffic and environmental noise. Even with a green light from the captain, he still checks both ways before clearing an intersection. 

“Ultimately, it comes down to me,” he said. “If I get in a wreck, that’s on me. And I’ve got three or four people behind me depending on me to get them there safe.” 

“There was only one truck on scene at a multi-story apartment building,” Niswander said. “So we went.” 

Niswander dropped off the crew so they could try to reach two trapped workers and then repositioned the truck for aerial support. 

“At first, I thought we got this,” he said. “We’ve got three ladders. We’ll get water and put it out. Then I got out and saw how fast it was spreading. It got really bad, really fast.” 

As flames consumed balconies near the trapped workers, Niswander heard over the radio that his crew was on the sixth floor. 

“All the floors were on fire,” he said. “I made the decision to put all the balconies out. That way they’d at least have a chance.”

This iconic image of Niswander and Ladder 1 through thick smoke and rising flames during the deadly SouthPark fire. His decision to flow water over the balconies helped support rescue efforts. 

Using the truck’s master stream, Niswander flowed water at up to 1,400 gallons per minute. He stayed on the turntable the entire time, controlling the aerial while another firefighter operated the pump. 

“I didn’t want to leave my post,” he said. “Everyone else was working so hard. I needed to make sure I did my part.” 

The fire would eventually claim two lives, but firefighters rescued many. Niswander’s actions, and those of his crew, helped make that possible. 

Niswander’s physical presence is impossible to miss. A competitive powerlifter, his best competition lifts include a 1,000-pound squat, 740-pound bench press, and a 777-pound deadlift. 

“I dabble in it,” he said, smiling. “It’s fun. Just testing your body and seeing what you can do.” 

Powerlifting is a family activity. His wife has competed. His kids are getting into it. And most days around 3 p.m., Niswander and his crew hit the firehouse gym together. 

Captain Michael Watts, Engineer Levi Niswander, Firefighter Keyshawn Allen, and Firefighter Thomas Rusling train together at the firehouse gym. The Ladder 1 crew stays physically prepared for whatever the next call may bring. 

“This job is taxing on your body,” he said. “You need to be able to perform at a high level. You can get away with not being in shape for a while, but your career will suffer. When it’s time to pull someone out of a fire, you need to be ready.” 

Stories about Niswander’s strength have circulated in the department, including a half-serious tale about him lifting a car during a training exercise. He doesn’t confirm or deny it. 

“We all have a good time with it,” he said. 

Engineer Levi Niswander benches a heavy load during a workout at the firehouse gym, where he and fellow firefighters train regularly to stay ready for the physical demands of the job. 

Over the years, Niswander has responded to hundreds of calls, but some moments stay with him. One of them was the Academy Street fire, where several people were trapped inside a burning home. 

“We were the first ladder on scene,” he said. “The guys got off, cut a hole in the roof, and started pulling people out. I remember doing CPR on three different people that night.” 

Not everyone survived, but for Niswander, that call underscored the reason he wears the uniform. 

“That was one of those times where I knew—this is why I’m doing this,” he said. “Trying to help people. That’s what sticks with you.” 

Niswander doesn’t seek out recognition, but among his peers, his work ethic and reliability are well known. That’s part of what makes him stand out, especially during high-stress situations like SouthPark.

Engineer Levi Niswander smiles in front of the bay doors at Firehouse 1. His strength and calm leadership are recognized across the department. 

“He’s someone you want behind the wheel when it matters most,” Chief Johnson said. “But more than that, he’s someone who takes ownership. He doesn’t look for credit. He just shows up and does the job with everything he’s got.” 

From daily equipment checks to last-ditch balcony defense, from 1,400-gallon water flows to 1,000-pound squats, Engineer Levi Niswander is built for the job in every sense of the word. 

And when the alarm sounds, he’s already in motion—ready to carry the weight, so others can charge forward.

Niswander shares a smile with the crew as he drives Charlotte Fire Ladder 1 to a call. Even under pressure, his calm confidence shines through.