A second generation firefighter, James Wells worked his first structure fire with his dad in 1971 at the age of 17 in his hometown of Glenmora, Louisiana.  He graduated from Glenmora High School in 1972 and entered the Navy three months later.  James had a variety of assignments in both the U.S. and overseas until 1982, when he rejoined the fire service as a member of the Shipboard Fire Team.  Between 1982 and his retirement in 1992, James attended virtually every Navy fire school and attained qualification as fire marshal.  Mr. Wells served as the "At Sea" On Scene Leader for two major shipboard fires and was a member of the Damage Control Training Team for two classes of ships.  He received the Navy Achievement Medal for his instruction in shipboard tactics in firefighting using thermal imagers.  His last assignment included the evaluation of rescue tools and portable ventilation equipment for suitability of use by the Navy.

Upon his retirement, James returned home and continued his commitment to the fire service by serving as training officer and eventually becoming the fire chief at Rapides Parish Fire District 11.  He began attending courses with the LSU Fireman Training Program and used his G.I. Bill to enroll in the fire science degree program at LSU Eunice.  Mr. Wells has over 100 semester hours completed at LSU Eunice, and will complete the program in 2007.  A member of the L.S.F.A. since 1993, James was an L.S.F.A. Scholarship recipient in 1998/99.  He has been a member of the N.F.P.A. since 1994, and was accepted into the Fire Protection Section in 2005.  Mr. Wells was an adjunct instructor from 1995-1999, and proudly joined the LSU FETI staff full time in January 2000.