Five North Delta students are among the graduates from the third annual Delta Fire Youth Academy.
Last week, 15 local students took part in the week-long program, getting a glimpse into a potential career in emergency services through a week of immersive firefighter training.
Held at Fire Hall #4 in Boundary Bay, home to the fire department's state-of-the-art training centre and the city's emergency operations centre), the program is a collaboration between Delta Fire & Emergency Services, the Delta Firefighters Association Local 1763, the City of Delta and the Delta School District that aims to highlight the firefighting profession while fostering leadership, teamwork and a strong sense of community, according to a post on the school district website.
“This program is a great way for us to connect with the youth of Delta, showcase our profession and expose students to firefighting who may not have thought of it as a possible career option,” Fire Chief Guy McIntuck said in a school district post following last year's academy. “I believe this program will help a lot of young adults be able to decide on a potential career path that may be any of the emergency services — fire, police or ambulance. It gives them a taste of what it’s like.”
Throughout the week, participants in this year's Delta Fire Youth Academy engaged in hands-on firefighting drills, including scaling ladders, rolling fire hoses, fighting fires, cutting open cars and rappelling down buildings.
The program concluded on Friday (March 14) with the students showcasing their newly-acquired skills in front of their families, Delta Fire chiefs, school district staff and other local dignitaries, followed by a formal presentation celebrating their achievements.
Three Seaquam students (Siana, Pirrerica and Sydney) and two from Sands (Kowen and Bernardo) were among this year's graduates. They were joined by five each from Delta Secondary (Brody, Sophia, Jessica, Liam and Ty) and South Delta Secondary (Bradley, Rowan, Tyler, Ashley and Madeleine).
