A dozen Grade 11 and 12 students spent their spring break learning what it takes to be a firefighter.
The third year of School District 46’s Junior Fire Fighter Academy saw 27 applicants for the program’s 12 spots. Steven Achterberg, deputy chief of prevention for Sechelt Fire Department, credits the interest in the program to growing awareness, as well as to the elimination of the $250 entrance fee, thanks to “a ton” of sponsorships from local organizations and businesses. “The public support for this program is through the roof,” he said.
Kids applying to the annual spring break program had to submit a written application; pass a fitness test that included a two-kilometre run, at least 20 push-ups in a minute and at least 40 sit ups in a minute; and a panel interview.
The kids do about 100 hours of work experience through the program, fulfilling that portion of their graduation requirement.
“Every year, it just gets a little bit better than it was a year before, as we get settled into our routines and our collaborations with the other departments,” said Achterberg.
Students spent five days at the Sechelt fire hall working on structural firefighting skills and knowledge – dumpster fires, car fires, ladders and gear and breathing apparatuses. The students also entered a burning room for the first time, “to experience what that’s like and learn how to trust the gear,” said Achterberg. On their last day with him, the students cut apart cars all day, learning about auto extrication.
The youth then spent three days with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), learning wildland skills, knowledge and safety. Nine of the 12 students then did an additional three days of training with BCWS, which allowed them to get more certifications to make them available for hire with BCWS or another private contractor in B.C.
The academy is a collaborative effort among the Coast’s fire departments. While Sechelt provided the facility, Gibsons, Roberts Creek and Halfmoon Bay provided instructors and helped facilitate training. “That’s a way we can teach our own communities,” said Achterberg. “These kids come from all over the Coast, so it’s nice for them to see representation from their home departments in their training, to try to build that future membership.”
Achterberg estimates that about a quarter of this year’s class expressed interest in joining the structural side of firefighting and about half expressed interest in doing something with BCWS. And the students will be following in increasingly well-trodden footsteps.
For Cathy Gordon, the SD46 career coordinator who has been one of the primary instigators of the program, the “wow” moment this year came when she visited the wildfire training and found two past students instructing the class. One student had taken the course in 2022, the other had taken it last year. She added that three former students are being employed with BCWS this summer and other former students are on local departments.
“It’s really a reward,” she said. “That was the goal for me, was to let students know what skills are needed for firefighting and whether they would like it or not. It’s really wonderful to see.”
The highlight for Achterberg is always the students. “They come in on the first day and they don’t know anything about anything. And then five days later, they’re stepping off the truck like they’ve been doing this job for 20 years.” He commends their capacity to absorb knowledge, to translate it into skills and to work together.
The kids came from all three local high schools and most didn’t know one another, said Achterberg. “And after five days, they walked out of there a team.”
The kids loved eating the catered meals each day, said Achterberg. They sat down as a group, ate as a group, cleaned up as a group, trained as a group. But, the students’ actual favourite part of the day was washing the fire trucks. “I don’t know why – all the work and the hundreds of hours I put into this training and they’re like, ‘We love washing fire trucks!,’” he laughed. (Adding that to see the camaraderie makes all the work worth it.)
Achterberg extended his thanks to the sponsors, as the program doesn’t use tax dollars. “Without them, there is no program, so it’s really them supporting the students and I’m very grateful.”
On April 6, the students will show off their newfound skills in a demonstration day for family and friends.
– With files from Keili Bartlett
