By Airman 1st Class Matthew-John Braman, 316th Wing Public Affairs

The 316th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Fire Department hosted its 2022 Fire Explorer Program training for eight 14 to 18-year-old cadets from around the National Capital Region at Joint Base Andrews, Md., from July 25-30, 2022.

The training was an accelerated fire academy, where the cadets learned about emergency medical treatment, firefighting equipment, fire department operations, and what life as a firefighter and as a military member is like.

“Whether they decide to join the fire service or military, they still learn good teamwork skills, good leadership skills, and just hard work,” said Staff Sgt. Trevor Rens, 316th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter.

The week started with the cadets receiving medical training and American Red Cross CPR and first aid certification. They then learned about using fire equipment, such as how to pull hoses from a fire truck and connect them to a fire hydrant, and how to raise ladders.

Cadets also learned the standards of fire department emergency operations, such as evacuating a victim from a building, and providing emergency medical care.

“It made us think on our toes,” said cadet Antoine Spencer. “We had to work together as a team. It was perfect, it was fun.”

The program concluded with a final scenario where they applied the skills they learned throughout the week. The cadets worked in teams to handle a simulated structure fire with two victims; they evacuated the victims and put the fire out with zero mishaps.

The cadets also operated a fire truck with a high-rise extension turret vehicle during a simulated aircraft fire. They put out the flames with water from the turret’s nozzle.

“It gave me a way to think of how firefighting is actually done,” said cadet Elijah Colon. “This is a great program. I recommend it to anyone who wants to be a firefighter, or to anyone who just wants to volunteer and have fun.”