Goodfellow Fire Department hosts annual Junior Firefighter Camp

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Robyn Hunsinger
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

The Goodfellow Fire Department hosted their annual Junior Firefighter Camp at the fire station here July 15 through July 19.

“We’ve been doing this for 14 years,” said 17th Civil Engineering Squadron Chief Richard Alter. “It started as a small seed. There are so many negative things in the world so we wanted to find a way to make a positive difference in their lives. We wanted to give them the chance to see what it would be like to be a firefighter for a week.”

The camp gives children from the community the opportunity to learn about fire safety, fire prevention, and the roles and responsibilities of firefighters.

Colonel Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, expressed his hope that this experience will lead the junior firefighters to pursue a career as firefighting professionals.

The junior firefighters learn everything from first aid and search and rescue to fire extinguisher training and how firefighters get into their protective gear. They also get the chance to operate a fire hose and learn about rescue tools in a fun, safe environment. At the end of the week, the junior firefighters receive a tour of the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy here before participating in a graduation ceremony.