The Moab Valley Fire Department is set to train a new cohort next week: the two busy training days will go over what it takes to work as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Services personnel. But this cohort will look a little different—next week marks the second annual Jr. Emergency Services Academy, for kids in fifth to seventh grade.
“The idea was, if we got kids thinking about fire and EMS while they’re young, maybe it would give them an idea for their futures,” said Shea Walker, the emergency coordinator for the Moab Valley Fire Protection District/Grand County EMS. “We wanted to figure out how we could give back to and hopefully benefit kids in the community.”
“It’s just like a normal Academy, but condensed into two days,” he said.
On the first day, kids will do a basic apparatus walkthrough. They’ll get a tour of the ambulances and fire trucks, plus get a hang of controls for each vehicle by turning on the lights, sirens, firetruck water hose, and by controlling the firetruck ladder. Then, they’ll learn how to report an emergency: kids will learn the details of what they should report to 911 if they have an emergency, and practice calling a live dispatcher. Their knowledge will be tested in various scenarios, Walker said: What do you tell 911 if someone is injured, or if there’s a fire in your home?
Day 1 will also include the nuts and bolts of fire—firefighters will go through their personal protective equipment, then light a fire for the kids to practice putting out with a fire extinguisher. Walker assured that the fire would be safe: “Everything we do is very controlled and regulated,” he said.
At the end of the first day, kids will put their new skills to the test by splitting into teams to solve various challenges. Another aspect of the team challenge is the ability to cheer on the other team, too: firefighters and EMS personnel have to work together and have each other’s backs, Walker said.
The second day focuses more on EMS: kids will learn basic first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). They’ll then run through more team challenges, like how to handle various situations similar to the practice 911 calls, and how to find their way out of low-visibility rooms in the case of a fire.
“The most likely chance of these kids running into an emergency is when they’re with someone in their family,” Walker said. “By teaching this kind of stuff, they’ll be able to make a difference if, for example, they see Grandma unconscious on the floor. They’ll be a little more comfortable and a little more able to get the best help they can.”
Jr. Emergency Services Academy will take place on July 6 and 7; to register a child, email Walker at swalker@moabfiredepartment.org with the child’s name and age, a phone number and email to reach the family, and what interests the child about the academy.
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