Why Michigan Jonathan Monahemi

As a volunteer fireman and EMT trainee, I have witnessed archaic machinery’s fatal effect on lives and buildings. In my short time with the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company, I have already begun to outline prototypes to help my colleagues ensure both efficiency and the highest order of care. The combination of business and engineering is tantamount to our success.

My current foray into the optimization of the fire service has been a new design for the standard hose and personal protective equipment that firefighters use. Before the hose even attaches to the hydrant, a fireman must lift and unravel approximately 200 pounds, primarily due to the antiquated nylon covering. My colleagues and I are often fatigued and immersed in sweat before we even fasten our last buckles and rush into the blaze; our turnout gear fails to provide ventilation. The College of Engineering at Michigan will provide me with the skills to develop new and improved equipment for the fire service because the curriculum is geared towards invention and optimization. The plethora of courses on Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Heat Transfer will help me to master the physics behind the fire service. Classes such as Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Strength...