The West Hartford Fire Department hosted two weeks of camp for teens this summer.

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp graduation. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

Those attending the West Hartford Fire Department’s Youth Fire Academy had the opportunity to not only learn what firefighters do on a day-to-day basis, but to engage in physical fitness education and team-building activities as well as participate in hands-on training that included suiting up, putting out a fire, and learning various rescue techniques.

“The fire service, especially here in West Hartford, is constantly out trying various ways to connect with our residents,” Chief Greg Priest said. “Whether offering a CPR class, joining a block party, running a CERT [Community Emergency Response Team] class, or helping a business with a fire safety plan, it is always a pleasure to interact with our residence in a non-emergency setting. One aspect to our outreach that is particularly exciting, is when we get a chance to show our younger generations about what the fire service actually does.”

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

The camp, open to teens ages 13-17, was split into two week-long sessions – “Fire Academy Basics” and “Fire Academy Advanced Skills” – and held in various locations including a site that the town has been using for training at 705 Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford and at the Newington Fire Tower off Fenn Road. West Hartford’s own fire tower on Brixton Street is no longer safe for use, and Deputy Chief Eric Munsell said Newington allowed the use of their tower, and West Hartford has reciprocated the favor by assisting Newington with CPR training.

Newington Fire Tower. West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The first week focused on basic skills, and was a prerequisite for the advanced session. Some of the cadets attended both weeks, while others in the advanced session had attended the basics session in a prior year. Most of the cadets were from West Hartford, but the program, which was organized by the fire department, West Hartford Professional Firefighters Union, and Leisure Services, was also open to teens from other towns.

The fire tower in Newington also has a “fire attack simulator” on the second floor, which when combined with a smoke machine provides cadets with the opportunity to experience extinguishing an actual fire. “The kids are getting a better feel for what it’s like,” Munsell said.

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

During the advanced skills session there were some extremely hot days, resulting in the need to modify several of the planned activities due to heat index warnings, particularly the activities that had the cadets dressed in full turnout gear, which included helmets, masks, gloves, and boots. At the same time, dealing with the heat gave the cadets even more of a real-life understanding of the challenges first responders experience.

Elizabeth Chestkova tests out a cooling vest after reacting to the extreme heat. West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

After overheating during one of the activities, Elizabeth Chestkova, who lives in Farmington, spent some time resting in the shade of a tent, wearing one of the cooling vests obtained by the West Hartford Fire Department earlier this year. “My vision was going dark,” Chestkova said, and paramedics immediately provided assistance and got her cooled down. The vest, she said, was “very cold.” After resting for a while, she was back with the other cadets engaging in a hose training activity.

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Fire Department Community Support Officer Andrew Eccles said during the hottest part of the day they arranged for activities that didn’t involve wearing the full turnout gear, including a competition between “squads” working to control of the hose nozzle and being the first to use a stream of water to push a cone over a line in the parking lot. “It gets them practicing firefighter activities in a fun way,” he said.

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Each squad was led by an instructor from the West Hartford Fire Department.

“I’m really pleased at the success of this program, and I’m incredibly grateful to the staff who have planned, organized and executed the camp over the last two weeks,” Priest said.

“Even if they ultimately never choose to pursue a career in firefighting, we have given them an experience that they may or may not have ever thought of. Our primary goal with this camp is to educate about the fire department, but also to see what we can do as a department to show pathways into the fire service or how to navigate barriers that might prevent somebody from joining the fire service.”

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Priest said it’s inspiring to see kids from a variety of backgrounds involved in the camp – in particular those develop a passion and come back for a second year.

“While I certainly have a very biased opinion, feedback from both participants, parents, and our staff has been overwhelmingly positive. I am very thankful for the parents who have entrusted their children to our care, and the instructors who have shown an incredible level of dedication and passion for this type of activity. There is a lot of work that goes into it, and especially by our community support officer Andrew Eccles,” Priest said. “I look forward to continuing, if not expanding, this highly successful summer camp for many years. In an interesting evolution of the program, we have received a lot of feedback, albeit sometimes jokingly, that a lot of parents wish they had this opportunity and would love to try some of the activities out for themselves. Perhaps we will look into that for next year as well.”

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

.West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Basic Skills graduation. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Advanced Skills Camp. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy Week 1. Courtesy photo

Rotary Club of West Hartford donated water bottles for use at the Youth Fire Academy. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Youth Fire Academy. Courtesy photo

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