By Angela Kazmierczak

High school students now offered firefighter training

Feb 23, 2023 | 5:35 PM

DUNMORE, AB – It’s not every day you hear teens will be allowed to train to become firefighters – but that is set to happen.

Prairie Rose Public Schools have announced the start of a new fire fighting program, for high school students.

The program is in partnership with the Bow Island Fire Department and Cypress County Fire Department. It will allow high school students to earn their Firefighter Class 1 and 2.

An Eagle Butte High School teacher inquired about having the program.

Jason Linton, the Cypress County Emergency Services coordinator, says the two-year program is the equivalent of college or volunteer fire programs.

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Students will still have to meet strict regulations, including physical fitness assessments.

But unlike other programs, students won’t have to give up a year’s worth of weekends for training.

The training will consist of three in-class lessons and two off-site days, during the week.

Linton says he hopes the program will recruit more members in the community.

“One of those things I identified when I first started was time was retention and recruitment within Cypress County and especially for our rural stations and how do we get more younger members involved, so we naturally just thought this was a great fit for Cypress County and Prairie Rose School division.

Students will be fully certified firefighters by the end of the program.