More than 50 teens are getting ready to head to the West Virginia 2008 Junior Firefighter Camp, June 22-27, at the State Fire Academy at West Virginia University Jacksons Mill State 4-H Camp, near Weston.
The camp, organized by the WVU Fire Service Extension, allows participants, ages 14-17, to undergo classroom and hand-on training to pick up skills needed to become a firefighter. This is the second year for the camp, which is geared for young people interested in possible careers or voluntary service in firefighting and emergency services, and who show leadership potential, organizers say.
One of the purposes of the camp is to allow youths to gain insight in becoming long-term members of the emergency services,said Murrey Loflin, program leader.
During the week, participants will not only have a chance to learn emergency operations techniques, but also practice actual firefighting procedures, he added. The camp will provide the training required for certification in NFPA 1001 , Standard on Firefighter Professional Qualifications. A staff of experienced instructors, with the assistance of state certified instructors, will lead the activities.
Some of the topics covered will be aircraft rescue firefighting, CPR and first aid, forcible entry, ground and aerial ladders, leadership and team building, live fire training, vehicle rescue and vehicle fires.
There are kids from all over the country,Loflin said.We have campers from Wyoming, Maine, Virginia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York and more.
Graduation from the program is Friday, June 27, the last day of camp.
Besides the WVU Fire Service Extension, camp sponsors are the WVU Extension Service, West Virginia Professional Fire Chiefs Association, Professional Firefighters of West Virginia, West Virginia State Fire Chiefs Association, West Virginia State Fire Commission and West Virginia Department of Education.
Although the deadline for this summers camp has passed, there are other ways to get information on firefighting. Visithttp://www.wvu.edu/~exten/depts/fireserv/junior_ff_camp.htm, or call WVU Fire Service Extension at 1-866-WVU-FIRE or Loflin at 304-276-2843.
The WVU Fire Service Extension is a leader in providing critical, high-quality training to public and private sector emergency responders. It works with federal, state and local organizations to meet national consensus standards and develop needed curricula. The WVU Fire Service Extension trains firefighters, emergency service workers, military and industry. More on the Net:http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/depts/fireserv/fireserv.htm