Teenage Cadets Graduate With Firefighting Skills

It’s a little unusual to end a graduation ceremony by changing your clothes and then rush into a smoking building with your classmates.

But these graduates were part of  the Introduction to the Fire Service Cadet Class #28 at the . The 29 cadets graduated from the week-long class Sunday. They represent 22 fire departments from across the state and are 16- or 17-year-old high school students.

More than 100 people attended the graduation ceremony and demonstration at the Windsor Locks-based academy.

During the week, the cadets were educated about fire service organization, chain of command, mission and core values. They participated in several hands-on training evolutions, building skills in handling fire hose, carrying, placing and using ground ladders, performing searches for trapped victims and forcing entry into burning buildings.

“This week they found out they can do more than they thought and then found out they can do even more,” William Trisler, program manager of the fire academy, said.

Each night, fire service leaders from different disciplines within the career track, such as training, emergency medical services, fire investigation and equipment repair discussed their roles, responsibilities, and the education and training required to achieve their respective position.

Ian Tenney, program coordinator, said the teachers came on their days off from their fire departments, or right after their shifts to help staff the program from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for six days.

“This is a very special group who came here to teach,” Tinney said.

The program, which has been around for 15 years, has grown so much that this class even had junior counselors, 2010 class alumni, to help plan and run the program.

Roger Miles of the Windham Fire Department and Ethan Drain of the Killingworth Fire Department, were chosen after each having a minimum 3.0 grade point average, several letters of recommendation, and undergoing oral exams at the academy, Tinney said.

Benjamin Fox, public information officer of Class 28, told the crowd of the lessons they learned including being fooled by an instructor into thinking someone in the class had set off the fire alarm. The instructor threatened dismissing the class if no one came forward, Fox said.

All of those in the class were trying recall if they had bumped into something that set it off when the instructor came back in the room with a smirk on his face and told them of the ruse, he said.

Fox said the week in the classes had been valuable to all of those who participated.

“I think it is safe to say that thanks to the instructors and the junior counselors we are leaving here twice the firefighters we were,” Fox said.

Trisler said the academy program allows the cadets to train in situations they would never be able to at their individual fire departments. The program is similar to a vocational school, he said.

Those who have participated in the program have become full-time careers as firefighters or taken on leadership positions in volunteer departments, he said.

“It definitely gives them a leg up,” Trisler said.

Participating fire departments included Andover, , Canton, Colchester-Hayward, Coventry, , Gales Ferry, Gaylordsville, Haddam, Hebron, Litchfield, New Hartford, Niantic, Noroton, Portland, Taftville, Trumbull Co. 1, Wallingford, West Haven, and Winsted.