The Crossfield Fire Department is looking to recruit local high-school-aged youth for its upcoming junior firefighter training program.
Now in its third year, the junior firefighting training program is catered to teenagers ages 15 to 18, according to Crossfield firefighter Mitchel Webber, who is also the instructor for the year-long course.
“It’s an opportunity for them to build their resumes and see if this is something they want to do – if it’s a career path to push toward and see if emergency services would be something they’re interested in,” he said.
The deadline to register is March 15, and the program is open to those who live within an hour drive of Crossfield. The course is free to take part in, and held weekly on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Crossfield Fire Hall.
Participants will learn various fire training skills based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Crossfield Fire Department standards, as well as fundamental first aid and medical training and certification.
The course curriculum also includes career and resume building, and participation in community events as fire department volunteers.
“Basically, [we teach] a lot of fire suppression training, so working with fire hoses and hydrants,” Webber said.
“As well, we do a lot of motor vehicle collision training, and learning about all the PPE that comes with firefighting.”
Once participants turn 18, they are eligible to be hired as a paid-on-call firefighter with the Crossfield Fire Department.
Webber said the course is a great introduction to teens who are considering fire services or emergency response services as a potential career path, or who want to make a positive difference in their community.
While he acknowledged the course isn’t for everyone, he said participants pick up valuable skills that will serve them well later in life, regardless of whether or not they intend to pursue firefighting as a future job.
“There are a lot of folks who get into this later on in life and [they say] ‘I wish I started sooner,’ or, ‘I didn’t know it was an option,’” he said. “We really just want to encourage youth and parents of youth to know this program is here and it exists.
“This is just a small taste of what’s out there, but it gets people understanding what type of options there are for getting in at a young age,” he added. “We treat our junior members as a part of the family and the team, and we want to encourage that team spirit from a young age and continue that on if they choose this as a career.”
The program began in 2019 and has graduated two classes so far. Webber said the previous classes saw between six and 10 participants.
According to Fire Chief Ben Niven, before 2019, Crossfield had a less formal junior firefighting program that operated for about a decade.
“I’m very proud of what Mitch has done in getting a structured course going,” Niven said.
“It’s been a great asset to the department to have Mitch take this on and really put something wonderful together. You hear nothing but compliments from the students who come through – it’s a great program and [they learn] great life skills.”
Interested applicants are encouraged to email [email protected]
