Emmitsburg Mayor Frank Davis voted for Donald Trump in hopes he would cut federal spending. Now Davis hopes those cuts don’t include the permanent cancellation of classes at the National Fire Academy, which is part of the town’s identity and helps drive its economy. Davis is also a chief at Emmitsburg’s firehouse, known as the Vigilant Hose Company.
Justin T. Gellerson for NPR
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Justin T. Gellerson for NPR
EMMITSBURG, Md. — Frank Davis saw a lot of waste during his decades in the federal government. In November, he voted for Donald Trump to get rid of it. So far, Davis likes a lot of what he’s seen.
“I’m probably gonna get shot for this, but he is doing what he said he was going to do,” says Davis, who serves as mayor of this town of about 3,000 people in Western Maryland, just south of Gettysburg, Pa.
In March, the Trump administration suddenly cancelled in-person classes at the National Fire Academy here, which trains the country’s firefighters. The academy is not only a big part of Emmitsburg’s identity, it also helps drive the local economy.
Davis says the administration is reviewing the academy’s operations, and he is hopeful it will restore classes. If not, he says, he’ll see the administration somewhat differently.
“It will change my outlook to say that they’re not being fair,” says Davis, who also serves as emergency medical services captain at the local firehouse, known as the Vigilant Hose Company. “They’re just going in to cut and not caring what they cut.”
Emmitsburg voted for President Trump in November. NPR interviewed about two dozen people here. Almost all of them voted…