Firefighting students hit the ground running.

 

The maiden group to test out the new firefighting program being offered through Norquest College has just wrapped up its week. Thanks to support from both Woodlands County and the Town of Whitecourt, five safety companies (Brogan Safety, Scott Safety, SafetyBoss, HSE Integrated, and New Venture Safety), Living Waters School Division, and Alberta Education, the program was able to launch after two years in development.

The program was born out of a need to create a local workforce for industries within the area. Training students in grade 12 means they can graduate as professional firefighters ready to be employed. The first part of the program saw 23 students take part in the Industrial Firefighting 1081 Program which is what this first group just completed. Going forward, up to 12 students will be given the opportunity to take the Firefighting 1001 Program which is Level One for a professional firefighter.

The group of 23 were made up of students from École St. Joseph School, Hilltop School, Swan Hills School, Barrhead Composite High School, and Blue Ridge School and included several junior firefighters, too. Keaten Harris is entering grade 12 in the fall at Swan Hills School and has been a junior firefighter with his local department for two and a half years. “I fell in love with firefighting the moment I picked up the spreaders and the cutters,” he said.

Harris said the best part of the program has been learning to work together and becoming connected to each other. He said he happily recommends it to others. “Even if you aren’t looking to go into the fire industry it’s a really good course to build up your confidence and grow your leadership. You’ll always have this to go back to as a line of work, too.”

Since he is from Swan Hills, Harris had an early start to drive in for the course each day. He wasn’t alone as both he and Sabriena Day had to get up at five in the morning just to make it. Day is from Barrhead and said firefighting runs in her blood. “Firefighting has always been something I’ve wanted to do. My dad used to be a firefighter and he always said such good things about it. This course helped me see what’s it’s like. I’ve learned so much and I didn’t know there was so much that went into it, but there’s even little things that you need to think about. They covered everything,” she explained. She said she is planning to become a firefighter and that she would love to be a military firefighter one day.

Scott Fleet is entering his last year at École St. Joseph School and is excited for the chance to graduate as a firefighter. “I really hope I get into the next stage of this program because being a wildland firefighter is my goal.” He said one of the areas that really struck a cord was learning about fire behaviour. “That was my favourite subject and even just reading the book I was excited. There are different stages from insipient, growth, fully developed, and then decay. There are different events that happen in a house fire including flash overs and back drafts. There are also things like a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion) which is scary but cool. All those things have been great to look at and learn more about.”

He hopes the program will become popular and that kids will jump at the chance to take it. “Just take it. See if you can get in and if you can’t, try again the next year. It is so much fun to have this under your belt and you can take it so much farther,” said Fleet.

 

Art Bauer, Norquest College, said he is very happy to see the excitement. “The quality of instruction the students are receiving is the national standard and the accreditation they receive once they successfully complete is an international standard, so we are just beyond thrilled to have this kind of instruction available to our local youth.”

He said he hopes this is a first of many for local fire programs. Another group of roughly 15 will be taking the Industrial Firefighting 1081 Program from August 20 to 24. “The cost for companies to send a person out for a full week or longer with needing hotels and covering meals is very expensive for the industry to do so having an option locally is a real benefit for our local business and industry.”

Bauer said he also hopes those taking the course will participate in the volunteer fire department. “We are really looking to improve the skill set of the community by offering this program here,” he said.

During the week, students learned about practical skills, fire safety, teamwork, protecting themselves and others, and being effective firefighters. They worked with fire extinguishers on small fires, in confined spaces for smoke and rescue work, and live fire with hose and pump activities. “Students can expect to use these skills at any industrial site in Whitecourt or beyond particularly in the oil and gas sector on lease site or in a plant.”

With students from several different area schools, Bauer said they are happy to have true community representation. “That’s what we want. We want to work with all students.” For more information on the fire courses being offered locally contact Norquest College at 780-778-2000.