Students get hands-on experience with ladders, vehicle extrications, marine rescues, equipment, and more
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Foundation's Alan D. Anderson Summer Youth Fire Academy offers students an exciting opportunity to learn what it takes to be a first responder.
Igniting a passion for community service
For two weeks, students between the ages of 14 and 18 are exposed to careers in firefighting and emergency medicine through hands-on training and classroom activities.
(See these and other full size photos in the Summer Youth Fire Academy collection.)
The program curriculum includes fire ground operations, use of firefighting bunker gear, aerial ladder climbs, search and rescue, forcible entry, rappelling and knots, vehicle extrication, water safety, CPR and first aid, and the history of fire service.
Just as important, students also learn conflict resolution, problem-solving, confidence, and how to collaborate with different personalities while working as a team.
Not your regular teen summer experience
Ember Barakeh, a senior at Steinbrenner High School, is considering a career in fire rescue as a result of the training and positive experiences she's had in the Summer Youth Fire Academy.
Barakeh said that she is proud to be spending her summer learning how to perform life-saving tasks, like cutting cars apart during vehicle extrications, while a lot of her friends are sleeping until noon.
Hands-on training
Charlie Graden, age 15, enjoys the hands-on training the academy provides, and the opportunity to experience the mindset of firefighters. Her favorite aspects to the academy are learning to climb the 100-foot ladder and the marine rescue training.
"It's definitely shown me that there's a lot more of a physical demand than I thought. But it's shown me that it doesn't matter how strong I am, it just matters how long I can stay strong," Graden said.
The Summer Youth Fire Academy is free for participants and typically runs in June at the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Headquarters, located at 9450 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa, FL 33619.