VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CREATED THIS CAMP BECAUSE OF DWINDLING NUMBERS IN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS SOME OF THE SCENARIOS THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. THEY ARE TEACHING TEENAGERS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A VOLUNTEER AND ENTICE THEM TO COME ON BOARD. I PULL THAT PIN. I NEED THAT DOOR OPEN. I’M RIGHT AT THE DOOR. I CAN’T GET OUT. LET’S GO. GO. HEY, THERE WE GO. HEY, START SEARCHING. FIND MY DOOR. YOU ARE WATCHING. KIDS. TEENS, 14 TO 17. TRAIN TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. YOU’RE MY FOOT. ARE YOU READY? LET’S GO. THIS IS 15 YEAR OLD AMIRAH THOMAS IN THE FRONT, SEARCHING A HOME WITH A FELLOW CADET. IN A SCENARIO, SHE HOPES TO CARRY OUT ONE DAY IN REAL LIFE. WHAT? SUCH AS? TOGETHER. THEY CRAWL CONSTANTLY CHECKING THAT THE FLOOR IS STABLE IN AN UNFAMILIAR STRUCTURE, UNAWARE OF WHAT’S AHEAD, A STRUCTURE TO THE LEFT OF YOU. I’VE ALWAYS LIKED HELPING PEOPLE. THOMAS JOINED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 14, THE EARLIEST SHE COULD REMEMBER. WHEN YOU BUST THE WINDOW OUT, YOU WANT TO DO WHAT AFTER YOU BUST IT. BUT THIS TRAINING IS FOR ANYONE. 14 TO 17 ON HOLIDAY PARK’S FIRE CHIEF SAYS THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED A WAY TO ENCOURAGE KIDS INTO SERVICE. WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY JUST NOT TO HEAR ABOUT US. THEY DO WHAT THEY DO IN FIRE TRAINING. I HOPE TO ONE DAY BE PAID. AND THIS IS JUST MY DREAM AND MY FUTURE AND MAYBE ENTICE THESE 33 CADETS INTO JOINING AN INCREASING THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS WHO COULD RESPOND TO YOUR HOME. ONCE THESE CADETS COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING AND THEY GRADUATE, THEY COME OUT OF THIS CAMP WITH SIX CERTIFICATIONS, INCLUDING CPR. R STOP THE BLEED AND FIRST AID. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED. AND THIS CAMP GOES ON EACH YEAR THROUGH THE HOLIDAY PARK. VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPAR
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.
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Updated: 6:46 PM EDT Jun 21, 2023
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.
PITTSBURGH — 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.
