Local fire camp training teens to end dwindling number of volunteers
The camp has 33 cadets this year, with instructors from departments in several surrounding counties.
The camp has 33 cadets this year, with instructors from departments in several surrounding counties.
The camp has 33 cadets this year, with instructors from departments in several surrounding counties.
The Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department in Plum kicked off its fifth annual fire camp for teens this week in an effort to encourage kids into service.
"We recognize the fact that there is a continual shortage of volunteer firefighters in the state of Pennsylvania," said Holiday Park Fire Chief Jim Sims.
Sims said the camp has 33 cadets this year, with instructors from departments in several surrounding counties.
On Wednesday, the teens trained at the Monroeville Training Center, where they were put through several scenarios. Throughout the weeklong camp, the cadets will learn search and rescue, hose lines, and vehicle extraction, and they will earn six lifesaving certifications, including CPR and Stop the Bleed.
The Holiday Park Volunteers Fire Department began operating the annual camp in 2018, with a one-year pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2018, just 15 kids joined the camp. This year, that number has more than doubled.