Volunteer-minded teenagers are seeing if they have what it takes to fight fires in the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority junior firefighting program.
The forth annual junior firefighting program kicked off last weekend. Students from high schools in the region ages 15 to 18 learned about fire safety in the classroom before gearing up and training with fire hoses outside, despite chilly weather.
Station chief Darryl Shyian kept a light-hearted but watchful eye as his team conducted drills with the students. The program is run through the hard work of volunteers at the Bonnyville fire hall. Captain Craig Wenzel and lieutenant Dustin Ruck headed the program and led the students.
"It's a family station. They work extremely hard and I'm proud of their accomplishments," said Shyian.
One of the drills saw junior firefighters up and race against each other - with the help of the volunteer firefighters to roll out hoses from a fire truck, connect them, and then spray pylons before other teams. It was a all-hands-on-deck situation.
Shyian explained that much of the time firefighting drills separate who is meant to be a firefighter from who is not because the job requires a natural ability that can't be foreseen until training. The program could tell him who will be next to join the fire authority from the community.
"They get a hands on opportunity to learn things and actually get to try it," said Shyian.
He regarded the experience as a positive one for youth in the community that, if nothing else, helps the fire authority give back to the community and results in 'lots of big smiles'.
"Hopefully when they turn 18 they'll join on, but if they don't they'll have a new skill set for their resumes."
Many of the junior firefighters have dreams of becoming firefighters one day, but some are just looking for the great volunteering experience it provides.
Cassidy Smith, 15, got involved with the junior firefighting program because she wanted experience in helping people, something she looks forward to doing as she pursues work as an equine therapist after graduating from Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS).
"I wanted to see what it was like to help someone. I like the idea of helping someone mentally and physically to give them hope," Smith explained helping people and giving them hope is what firefighters do.
Nicolle MacDonald, 16, was excited for the program because it gave her a chance to walk in her father's shoes - firefighter at the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority Rob MacDonald.
"I've always had a passion for firefighting. I'm a daddy's girl," said MacDonald who wants to be a firefighter after she graduates from Notre Dame High School.
The junior firefighter program recruited seven students from local high schools BCHS, Notre Dame and école des Beaux-Lacs this year. Students were interviewed after signing up with their schools and then welcomed into the program.
All students were welcome to apply, but for those who missed out, there is a chance to practice firefighting at the station's practice nights, which happen every Tuesday night between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Parents and adults are welcome too.
"The community has been very supportive of us so we want to give back to the community," Shyian encouraged members of the community to come and see what the station is all about.
"When we win here at the fire authority and the community wins too."
