as, Louisiana (WAFB) – Firefighters do dangerous but very important work, but there are fewer career and volunteer firefighters each year. According to the most recent data we found from the National Fire Protection Association, there were just over one million firefighters in the United States in 2020, which was the lowest total reported since 1991.

The Prairieville Fire Department partnered with Ascension Parish schools to give high school seniors the opportunity to test the field and earn certification before graduating.

“One of the most important things we have to do is be able to adapt and overcome any situation we may encounter. We can’t just say, “Well, I made a mistake” and go home, right? There is still work to do, so they did a very good job today,” said Ascension Parish Fire District Three Training Chief Jesse Wingate.

Wingate taught students how to deploy hoses from the fire truck during today’s class.

“Practice makes perfect and we continue to do these things in this profession until we can’t get it wrong, not until we get it right once. And even with experience, you have the ability to make mistakes, but that was the goal today when deploying hoses,” Wingate said.

It’s just one lesson of many from their new training program for high school students.

“Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people are applying for the fire service, both statewide and nationally, and this is just one of the ways we could improve our recruitment into this great profession we do,” Wingate said.

It’s not just another election to cross off the list. The program is also helping seniors like St. Amant High School’s Lillian Cox figure out exactly what she wants to do before taking the stage next semester.

“I think it’s actually kind of a blessing because there aren’t a lot of extra classes you can take that prepare you for this kind of thing because it’s more dangerous, so you don’t know what you’re getting into. But it kind of gives us a chance to experience it before we go into that race,” Cox said.

Each school day for two and a half hours, the five students participating this year learn the ins and outs of the field. Programs like this have been growing among departments and high schools across the state.

“One of the differences that I teach them is that in school, in general, you learn information and generally there is a dropout after an exam, right? You don’t need to keep that information, right? Well, in this, this is a profession where you can’t forget any information, you need to retain it at all times,” Wingate said.

Students also earn required certifications.

“You couldn’t get these certifications before you were 18, but for this program you can get them at 17, so it’s really cool to be able to instantly jump into the field pretty much after EMT and all that. I thought that was really awesome,” said Dutchtown senior Seth Milioto.

“There are four tests in total to be able to take the firefighter test. It has to have a hazmat component, so we became aware of hazmat and hazmat operations early on, and everyone has overcome it,” Wingate said. “Next month, they will choose firefighter because there are some physical skills they need to learn. The firefighter portion will actually be in February and the second semester and we will be very focused on honing their skills and getting them to the point where they are actually functional in doing the job of a firefighter.”

Even if students decide to pursue a different career path, they are being robbed of life skills that will make them successful in any field.

“You learn a lot of life skills, you know, things I’d never heard of and used the other day. It’s just a really good life skills class and it’s an amazing career field that I’m definitely considering getting into,” Milioto said.

“We certainly hope to capitalize on this for potential employees, but at the very least, it helps with community living skills. It helps them be more prepared in an emergency on how to react. They may never join the fire service, but at the very least they have the ability to provide a service in their home or community,” Wingate said. “These guys, whether they are full-time firefighters in the profession or not, have the ability to serve and help.”

Applications for next year’s program will open in January 2025. If you are an Ascension Parish high school student and are interested in joining the program, please contact your career advisor for more information.

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