Whittell begins first fire safety class

Whittell High School sophomore Wyatt Miller demonstrated to his classmates how to put on fire safety gear in under 2 minutes during the Fire Science Class on Wednesday.

Donning turnouts in a timely manner is one of many skills students will get to experience in the fire science program at the school.

New to the high school this year, the course is taught by experienced professionals from the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District and is designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to fire science and emergency services.

“We are so excited to have a new CTE course here at the Lake,” said Tahoe Douglas Fire Inspector and Public Education Specialist Jessica Garrison.

Garrison along with Tahoe Douglas Capt. Chris Peterson, and Assistant Chief Bryce Cranch will be teaching the class.

After already starting a Fire Explorer program with Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Station 24, which is right at the base of Warrior Way, Whittell and the Tahoe District wanted to provide something more for the students.

“I think it’s an amazing program,” said Cranch. “It adds a tremendous amount of depth to these kid’s education, and it is an excellent example of the fire district working together with the school district to enhance the quality of education, specifically in fire education, and providing an opportunity for students to receive insight to fire and public safety which will prepare them for future careers and connect with public agencies in the community.”

So far, the two-year program equips students in grades 10-12 with essential fire science skills, including wildland fire behavior, fire suppression, fire prevention, CPR/First aid, and more.

Students will also gain hands-on experience with fire service equipment and learn about building construction, hazard materials, and emergency medical care all while earning dual credit opportunities in addition to certifications in different areas of fire and medical safety.

“This is future recruitment for us, too,” said Fire Chief Scott Lindgren. “We are always looking for firefighters. Not all of them will become firefighters but the ones who do will have such a head start on the hiring process.”

Garrison said she is looking forward to teaching students all things fire and life skills.

“This program is teaching them so much more than just what it takes to be a fire fighter, or what it takes to be a paramedic or an EMT,” she said. “It really teaches them all kinds of life skills and how they can use them in their lives.”

Garrison said students will learn how to set up a resume and how to conduct interviews, while pursing something that interests them.

“This is so valuable for them to start in a high school setting,” she said. “It helps them to decide if this is something they really want to pursue and it also gives them the leg on the step on how to become a firefighter, EMT or a paramedic, and once you have that in and you have mentors built, you can do whatever you want.”

Students like Miller and sophomore Victoria Moore are looking forward to the hands on experiences.

“I heard we get to rip open a car,” said Moore.

Students will learn how to extricate someone from a trapped car, understand fire patterns by lighting a doll house on fire, and more.

“I’m really looking forward to the medical aspect of it, I’m not sure whether I want to pursue a career in anything yet, but we will see,” said Moore.

Lindgren said the Douglas County School District received a grant over $60,000 to purchase fire equipment, Tahoe-Douglas Fire donated some equipment as well as one of the fire department’s suppliers.

The program may extend further with another program partnered with the Tahoe Douglas Fire which was a topic of discussion during the June 11 School Board meeting. 

Lindgren presented the board with information on a proposal for use of property at Whittell for an emergency helicopter pad. The partnership would not only help Tahoe Douglas Fire respond to fires and emergencies more quickly, but it could provide education and experience in firefighting, emergency response training, pilot training, and more to students at the Lake.

“There’s lots of opportunities here and this is just one more way we can provide students in the area to get something unique and specialized in an area they might be interested in,” said Whittell Principal Sean Ryan. “I really appreciate the partnership between Whittell and Tahoe Douglas Fire.”