Students of the Granum Fire Academy try on their gear for the first time.
Nine Livingstone Range School Division students had their orientation to the Granum Fire Academy program last week.
The academy ran two years ago with successful graduates from Pincher Creek, Nanton and Claresholm.
This year has students coming from Fort Macleod, Claresholm and a large cohort making the trek from Lundbreck.
Upon completion of the academy students have been prepared to write provincial exams that earn them the qualifications to be volunteer firefighters and gives them a leg up on getting into post secondary programs.
Granum school principal Randy Bohnet oversees the program as students also can earn up to nine high school credits.
“I like to think of firefighting more as a calling than a job as it is such a noble and important profession,” Bohnet said.
MD of Willow Creek Deputy Fire Chief Sean Kelly expressed his excitement to be involved,
“It is great to be part of a program teaching our youth how to fire fight and learn one of the best jobs in the world,” Kelly said.
The program is no cake walk. Students meet most Fridays after school for course work and skill development, but then add many full-day Saturdays as they go to fire towers and learn first hand how to fight fires safely and effectively.
In spite of the commitment involved Bohnet noted the program has never had a drop-out and on the off years the academy runs a medical first responders course.
Other than graduating students, all who took the first round of the Fire Academy opted into the medical first responders program as well. A couple of those students are now in post secondary programs to become paramedics.
Gage Hogg, one of this year’s students from Lundbreck, was asked why he decided to get involved.
“I just feel like it would be good to have new experiences and maybe pursue this as a career,” Gage said.
Speaking for probably most of the students he added, “I’m definitely nervous about certain things but look forward to the experience.”
That experience will involve earning their first aid certificates, breaking down doors, carrying 170-pound dummies down stairs, finding their way through smokey rooms, crawling through small spaces with 50 pounds of gear on and being inside a room with a live fire.
“Students will pick up important skills that will benefit them in any post-secondary field of medicine,” Granum Fire Chief Duncan McLean said. “It’s also a great way for us to give back to the community, as some of these kids will pursue a career in firefighting while some will go on to serve their communities as volunteers.”
Shannon Fraser, who is a family liason councilor with the school division, has been involved with the program since it started and has witnessed first hand the interpersonal skills students develop.
“The camaraderie the students develop and the skills that forge those bonds is a big part of the academy,” Fraser said. “Those are life-long skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
Bohnet said although they’ve had their first day there is room for a few more students, but they should get started soon. To register students can contact their own principal who can guide them on how to join.
