Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School (PSO) students interested in firefighting were given valuable lessons on firefighting from members of the BC Wildfire Service as part of the Junior Fire Crew member program this week.
From March 18 to 20 students were given lessons from the 100 Mile Stormriders, 100 Mile House’s BC Wildfire Service unit. Those lessons included using GPS, proper awareness of fire weather and the basics of helicopter use. This is all part of the Junior Fire Crew Member program, which gives students in Grade 12 the opportunity to become wildland firefighters.
About four to eight students are selected per year from the program for a one-month work term starting in July until August - however, some have been offered the option of working until the end of September and can work as local as 100 Mile House to as far away as Alexis Creek - all while responding to wildfires. The experiences that Junior Fire Crew members receive fighting fires can also “help them gain a regular crew member position the following summer.”
Some teachers have been in the program before: John Jordaan, a member of the 100 Mile Stormriders, is a previous graduate of the program. He says teaching the students has been fun.
READ MORE: BC Greens table law to douse ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting gear
“It’s good to be giving back to the community, and to be able to help other students get the same opportunity that I did.”
One of those students this year participating is Isabella Robbins, who is a physically active Grade 12 student - playing in rugby, basketball and track and field hurdles. Robbins had been wanting to become a firefighter for quite some time.
“It’s my dream job.”
Robbins wants to eventually become a helicopter pilot who uses bambi buckets in order to put out fires. A bambi bucket is, according to SEI Industries, a strong, flexible firefighting bucket.
Robbins believes that she will be one of the students that will be selected by the program.
“I have the hope and everyone around me says that I would be a great fit for the position.”
Other students want to be selected in hopes of paying off their further pursuits in education. William MacKenzie, who is in Grade 12, says that he is planning to use the money that the summer job will pay him to fund his post-secondary education.
“I want to make some money to help pay for university,” said MacKenzie.
MacKenzie aims to get into the science program at the University of Victoria. Similar sentiments were expressed by his friend Max Kalmakoff. He wants to go to the University of British Columbia (UBC) to get a Bachelor of Music degree - but he did say that the fire industry is a backup option. Kalmakoff says he has enjoyed the program so far.
“It’s been really good, I’ve gotten a lot of useful information out of it such as a first aid and transportation endorsement.”
Students will be given further lessons on tree species, danger tree assessment and fire suppression at the 99 Mile Stormrider Base - a temporary rental of the 100 Mile Nordic Ski Club’s facility - as well as fitness events and interview skill training at the PSO. Final interviews for the program will take place on May 1 - and selections will take place around late May to early June.
