Fire cadets learn the ropes

GARDNERVILLE, Nev.

The East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts Fire Cadet program is part of the nationwide Exploring division under the Boy Scouts of America's Learning for Life career education program. Young men and women between the ages of 14 and 18 learn firsthand about firefighting and emergency medical services by working with the firefighters in the district in a variety of hands-on exercises. Information at the Fire Prevention link on www.eastforkfire.org.

"They also participate in many community service activities such as the Wacky Wiver Waddle Wace, the annual food drive held every December, and the Relay for Life," cadet advisor Toni Braga explains. "Another project of theirs was cleaning the area around the Family Support Council and food closet parking lot."

The cadet program is designed to help participants make the transition from cadet to volunteer fire department member once they reach 18 while learning important life skills. They also have the option of taking the entry level firefighter classes as long as they have met all the requirements within the program and have the approval of their cadet advisor and training captains.

There are 24 in the program this year with four ready to serve the community in our local fire departments once they graduate from high school. Last week 10 of the cadets were at the Ruhenstroth Volunteer Fire Department to learn more about water resources for fighting fires in our rural area. Bree Senner, Kevin Quenga, Jacob Braga, Darren Vega, Nick Mortenson, Victoria Weirauch, Clayton Limacher, Grant Zampirro, Stan Juchtzer, and Frank Alvarado were able to work with our members to unload and set up the portable water tank. They learned that each task in the operations has safety as its priority and to accomplish this everyone works in pairs, keeping an eye on where equipment and personnel are to avoid accidents.

The portable tank is very important in our area due to the lack of fire hydrants throughout the county. Our water tenders carry water but might need to be refilled during the course of fighting a house or wildland fire. Using the portable tank and pump, they can draw water from a river, lake or other water source to fill the tank which is then drawn by the tender so the firefighters can use it on the fire. The cadets were able to help in each phase of set up and take down, even taking turns spraying the hose. 

We want to wish Cadet Frank Alvarado a happy 18th birthday today. 

Have a ramblin' good week.

Reach Gail Davis at 265-1947 or RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com