It was two days of intense, but fun, fire training for 24 First Nations youth from Gathering Of Voices.
Participants learned valuable firefighting skills and knowledge from Vancouver Fire Rescue at the First Nations’ Emergency Service Society (FNESS) Firefighter Youth Bootcamp last Thursday and Friday.
“It gives youth an opportunity to touch and feel and work with some of the areas of CPR, extinguisher training, the feel of the gear, the feel of the equipment, and then introduces them to an opportunity to maybe look at a career in this world of fire services,” said FNESS executive director Wayne Schnitzler on Thursday.
“A lot of these skills they are learning today not only contributes to a career but also contributes to their own home safety and as you know, a lot of indigenous youth are going to be a volunteer firefighter or do home safety programs within their own community.”
Maliki, of Penticton, was one of the many youth trainees that participated in the boot camp.
“First day was amazing. We got to get fitted out and we learned to get into our gear. I find this awesome; I’ve always admired firefighters,” said Maliki on Friday.
“I’ve learned how firefighters set up their gear, and to quickly get in. Things that I would not have thought of before like having the boots and pads together. How the controls work for the bucket – this is really awesome.”
B.C.’s Southern Interior is no stranger to wildfires. Last year, the Keremeos Creek wildfire wreaked havoc near Penticton burning over 7,000 hectares.
The boot camp teaches students the importance of having their communities prepared for fires of any size.
“The discussions within the community on the importance of being prepared now is more important than anything that they can bring back,” said Schnitzler.
“A lot of discussion on, just talking to peers, people from different communities, and sharing their knowledge because we may have students that are part of a volunteer fire department already that are sharing that success in their communities with other students who that may want to go back and do the same thing in their community.”
Maliki added that these skills are especially important to him living in the South Okanagan.
“I do like this, it’s very exciting, and enjoy this work. I am excited about it and this is important to know because I am from Penticton, the Okanagan Valley, and up there it is dry country and fire is quite the hazard,” said Maliki.
Maliki has since returned home from the boot camp but with many new skills that could lead him to a meaningful career in firefighting.
“It was an awesome time; I learned many things and I got a certificate in hands-only CPR,” he said.