Opening the Academy Door with the MR Project

As a firefighter with 33 years of service and 20-plus years as an instructor, Michael McKenna has seen a lot in his career. But it wasn’t until a conversation he had with one of his best students at Sierra College in 2023 that he heard something that would change his life.

“She was one of my top students, and I asked her when she was going to the academy,” McKenna said. “She looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Cap, I can’t afford it.’”

When he heard that talented young woman was about to be stopped by a price tag, he felt moved to do something beyond the role of a teacher. That conversation was the start of the MR Project—a nonprofit named in her honor that helps women with costs and training associated with entering the fire service.

The MR Project’s Early Successes

Originally McKenna supported the aspiring firefighters by calling around for gear donations from fire industry connections—including HAIX—but in 2024 he made his charity official by registering the MR Project as a nonprofit. Now the program is off and running.

"We've got two women completely through the fire academy, and we're on our third right now," McKenna said.

The first woman through the project is now a paramedic firefighter intern, working toward the goal she has had since McKenna first met her. The second is freshly on the job market and has a lead on some promising work.

He also helps with their continuing education and growth once they enter the service by sending them to events such as the Women in Fire conference. As McKenna points out, fire departments rarely send 25-year-old women to major conferences.

McKenna says his program is selective by design. Because donors and partners are making a meaningful investment in these women, he seeks candidates who are serious about the work and eager to make the most of the opportunity. While he knows that not every participant will complete the program or remain in the field long term, he remains proud of what his small team has achieved and the lives they have helped change.

On Their Feet: HAIX Airpower XR1 Pro

The women in the MR Project wear the HAIX Airpower XR1 Pro, a quad-certified boot suited to wildland as well as structural work. It's part of a full ensemble covered through McKenna's industry relationships. Why did McKenna decide to go with the XR1 Pro? He’s a fan from his time in the fire service.

“It’s the best turnout boot I ever wore in my career,” he said of the XR1 Pro. He even got others in his department to switch to HAIX. As he tells it, "Nobody got plantar fasciitis in HAIX.

Prom a practical standpoint as well, McKenna says that HAIX will outlast and outperform the competition.

“HAIX is going to last longer, isn't going to hurt your feet and, and it's just a better product all around.”

What’s Next for the MR Project

McKenna's biggest goal is a self-sustaining program: enough funding for the MR Project to keep rolling year after year. With much of the gear donated, the remaining costs are manageable, and he hopes to keep growing the program from there.

For now, the MR Project is focused on the Sacramento area and the Sierra College campuses, including Nevada County about an hour north. If you're a young woman thinking about the fire service, or you'd like to support the project, reach out to McKenna through the MR Project website.