Cutting open cars with the Jaws of Life and extinguishing fires made for an unforgettable summer experience for local youths.
Twenty-two youths participated in New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service’s 2023 youth firefighter program, designed to provide an immersive fire academy-like experience.
Abigail LeBerg, a 16-year-old student at New Westminster Secondary School, said she applied for the program because she wanted to find out more about what firefighting would be like as a career.
“I was always curious about it and thought it would be cool, but I didn’t know much about it other than that they drive cool trucks and spray water on fires,” she said. “The program turned out to be amazing!”
Abigail said she learned so much about firefighting during the one-week program, such as the wide variety of skills firefighters must have and the camaraderie found in the tight-knit community in the fire hall.
“The way I connected with the firefighters and other youth participating in the program is unlike anything I experienced before,” she said. “The community, support, and encouragement from that group is something I will never forget.”
During the program, which ran from July 10 to 14, the youths learned about some of the skills used by firefighters, including handling different hoses, trying out rope rescue skills, putting out a fire and doing an auto extrication exercise.
Along with an opportunity to get hands-on experience with some of the skills involved in being a firefighter, the program aims to provide youth with an opportunity to practise skills related for other jobs – including submitting an application and resume and going through a panel interview.
“I hope they all had a really good time and learned a lot,” said acting assistant deputy chief Glen Bailey. I think they all left with a new understanding of what firefighters do.”
Mitch Nash, a 15-year-old New West resident, said he applied for this program at school.
“I did it because I would like to be a firefighter when I am older, and this program has made me want to be a firefighter more and more,” he said. “It was a great experience.”
Mitch’s favourite activity was cutting open cars and using the Jaws of Life.
For Abigail, the week’s highlight was putting out a car fire at the Justice Institute of B.C.’s Maple Ridge campus on the final day of the program.
“After getting to know each other all week, my group worked together so well to put out the fire safely and efficiently,” she said. “It was amazing to see how important communication was in a situation like that, and how well all of our team building over the week paid off. It was really the perfect way to tie it all together.”
Abigail is grateful to New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services for offering the program.
“All the firefighters involved with the program were absolutely fantastic, I felt so safe all the time even though I was doing things I never thought I would ever do, because they were always around to watch, help, and encourage us. They taught me so much, while having so much patience and enthusiasm,” she said. “The youth firefighters program really changed my life.”
The program, held for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, included four days of activities at the Queensborough fire hall and a day at the JIBC in Maple Ridge for live fire exercises. It’s open to local Grade 10 to 12 students (from any school), with preference going to applicants who live in New West and priority going to Grade 12 students.
“We think it is a really good experience for them,” Bailey said. “We would love to start hiring some of our youth firefighters down the road.”
The program is hosted by New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services and New Westminster Parks and Recreation, and is supported by the Justice Institute of BC and the City of New Westminster.
