Thanks for the memories
McLEANSVILLE - Over the years, thank-you cards and letters have piled up in the home of Capt. Mitzi Rice of the Greensboro Fire Department.
From parents, for teaching their children what to do in the event of a fire. From teachers and principals, for taking the time to connect with their students. And from colleagues, for simply being a great friend.
But now Rice — known as Flame, the enthusiastic and lovable clown, who with her dalmatian pal Ember, teaches schoolchildren to “stop, drop and roll” — wants to return that gratitude.
Earlier this month, terminal uterine cancer forced Rice to retire her colorful wig and clown shoes for good.
“I want Greensboro to know how much Capt. Mitzi Rice appreciates them as much as Flame and Ember,” Rice said from her McLeansville home Friday.
“I feel appreciative, humble and grateful to have shared my career with the whole city,” she said. “It’s been amazing.”
Rice, 53, joined the fire department in 1985. The Colfax native had been waiting tables for years but had dreams of becoming a flight attendant for Piedmont Airlines.
She landed an interview with Piedmont, but didn’t get the job. She later realized there was something bigger in store for her, and based on the advice of a friend who was one of the first female firefighters in Greensboro, Rice applied and became a firefighter.
She spent several years in the field battling blazes before becoming a fire safety inspector assigned to oversee apartment complexes in the city.
In 1999, Rice became the city’s first full-time public safety educator.
When she moved into her new role, she spotted a picture of a clown in Capt. Kevin Pettigrew’s office.
It was from a conference he had attended. The clown was a new concept that some fire departments across the country were using to teach younger audiences about fire prevention.
“I asked why didn’t we have one, and he said no one had really wanted to take it under their belt,” Rice said. “That was all it took for me was that idea.”
She attended a fire safety academy and was invited to a two-week clown school in Georgia, where she became Flame.
And after an estimated 3,200 shows witnessed by thousands of children and adults, the rest is history.
With her dalmatian Ember, Flame went to day cares, elementary schools, nursing homes and other events to teach everything from the dangers of cooking fires, to when and how to dial 911, and she accomplished it all with puppets, games and songs.
Along the way, Rice said she’s met amazing people and experienced many special moments.
“I have been invited to so many wonderful places,” Rice said.
“I’ve had kids and moms and dads say, 'I will never forget you because you helped my child get over their fear of dogs ... or costumes.’”
It’s that sort of special connection with children that makes Rice a great teacher, said Gerri Cox, principal at Rankin Elementary School.
“I think she is phenomenal,” Cox said. “It’s very rare for someone who is not a schoolteacher to be able to make a connection with children and help them relate to real-life situations. We love her.”
Assistant Fire Chief David Spears said Rice found her calling as Flame, and no one else at the department could have preached the importance of fire safety better than she did.
“She has reached thousands and thousands of children, elderly and everyone in between,” Spears said. “It was a perfect fit for her.”
While Rice is going to miss her work, the children and her many colleagues, she said she is blessed for all she has been given.
“I will be forever at peace with how I lived my life,” Rice said. “It’s been a great thing.”
Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com
Accompanying Photos
Photo Caption: Mitzi Rice during a program in December at Brightwood Elementary School.
Search News-Record.com
closeSearch News & Record Article Archives
Not all of the newspaper's content appears online.
*There is a fee for downloading some older articles.
