Teenage firefighter cadets rise to program’s challenges
Twelve teenagers rose before the sun on Saturday and Sunday to get the real firefighter experience with Orange County Fire Rescue.
OCFR’s Fire Explorer Cadet Program has trained Orange County youths in the CPR, first aid and other life-saving skills since 2002, but the program has been revamped to include a two-day experience at the agency’s headquarters.
The program has proven its value to the county: About six current firefighters were Explorer program cadets prior to pursuing a career with Orange County Fire Rescue, according to the program’s coordinator, Lt. Scott Egan.
But a new generation of wouldbe firefighters calls for a new program.
“Things are always changing and we decided it was time to look into our program to improve it,” Egan said. “We wanted to change it to incorporate more of what today’s youth is seeking.”
The program, meant for young people between 14 and 18 years of age, was restructured this year to incorporate a bigger focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM for short, according to Egan.
The weekend trial was preceded by three months of education about fire behavior and chemistry, and how to use industry technologies including thermal imaging and drones.
After the three-month course, the 12 cadets were brought to OCFR headquarters, where they spent two nights in a classroomturned-bunk room.
They woke before sunrise to participate in physical training and running drills at 6 a.m. They also took part in a simulated largescale disaster Saturday night, learning to perform rescue skills and prioritize victims.
On Sunday, parents and friends arrived to watch the cadets com-