Sylvester, GA — February 23rd —A Sylvester Fire Department firefighter and Albany Technical College student won first place in the SkillsUSA Post-Secondary Firefighter Competition. Carnal August battled against five of the state's top fireman students and won the gold medal for his outstanding performance in practical evolutions, cognitive testing, and professional presentation.

August's win advances him to the 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, which will be held June 1-5 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The national event brings together career and technical education students from across the country to compete and demonstrate their professional abilities. Officials stated that the success demonstrates both the firefighter's dedication and the effectiveness of Albany Technical College's Fire Science Technology program.