Scott Holder, 32, his older brother Jay Holder, 36, and their younger brother Jeremy Holder, 27, all firefighters with the Durham Fire Department, have been talking about joining the department since they began considering careers, said their father, Doug Holder. "My oldest brother was the first to show interest," Scott Holder said, "But I was lucky and got in the first time [I applied]."

It is the first time, said Capt. David Jacobs, that three brothers have been employed as firefighters at the same time. Two brothers have been in the department before, and there are two other members of the department who are father and son. "It's always been a family environment. You work, play, eat and sleep together," Jacobs said. "You depend on each other to do the right thing."

"Being a firefighter -- it's such a unique career, there's so many things involved in it -- it takes the support of a family to get you through," Jacobs said. "There's a lot of mental stress that goes with the job and there's a lot of things you'd never want to see."

It isn't uncommon for firefighters to apply several times to the Durham Fire Department Academy, Jacobs said. Regardless of how many people apply, most academy classes have room for only a dozen or so candidates.

Both of his brothers tried at least twice for the academy, Scott Holder said. Jeremy and Jay Holder applied together in 2002, but Jeremy had to drop out of the running because of an injury from a motorcycle accident. Jay Holder went on to join Station 14 while his younger brother continued to dream. "When Scott got on, he told me all about it," Jeremy Holder said. He became even more immersed in fire department culture when Jay made it through the 2002 academy, he said, and decided that after he recovered from his injury, he would be the next member of his family to don the department uniform.

Jay and Scott Holder were in the audience on July 7 when their youngest brother, beaming, strode across the stage of the department's auditorium. "Of course we're very proud of him," Scott Holder said. "It's something he's strived for for a long time."

While they work at different stations, the Holder brothers are currently on the same shift, working 24-hour days three times a week. As the brothers occupy themselves at their respective stations, eating, sleeping and anticipating calls, one member of the Holder family occupies herself with worry.

"I know it's something they all love and always wanted to do, but I worry about 'em when their working," said their mother, Norma Holder.