Firefighters in Training

A new class of wildland firefighting students at Camp Riverbend had their first practice burn this week.

  • A line of students wearing firefighting gear walks toward trees
  • Firefighting gear lined up on the ground
  • Firefighting students digging around a live fire outside
  • Firefighting students digging around a live fire outside
  • A teacher talks with firefighting students outside
  • Firefighting students digging around a live fire outside
  • Firefighting students digging around a live fire outside
  • A curved dirt line on the ground
  • Two teachers stand in front of two students lying inside protective tarps on the ground

A new class of wildland firefighting students at Camp Riverbend got their first practice with a live fire this week.

The 10 students worked on a practice burn on the grounds of the youth transitional facility. They practiced digging lines around the edge of the fire, and did some training in how to use portable fire shelters.

When their training is complete, these youth have the chance to become certified Type 2 wildland firefighters, giving them a real-life job opportunity when they are back in the community.

Their training was led by instructors Sam Black and Rick Snyder, who recently became the facility’s coordinator for VESOY (Vocation and Education Services for Older Youth) programs. Both of them recently became certified to teach, and this was their first class as primary instructors for the firefighting program.

Photos by Ben Heckman

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