August 22, 2001
Teens fired up about summer camp program
12 to 14 year olds report for duty at city fire department
By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
Some teen-agers might roll their eyes at the thought of attending summer camp. However, put out a few fires or smash a windshield with a sledgehammer and watch their eyes light up.
Reporting for duty at the Traverse City Fire Department earlier this week, seven area teens were part of a new community program involving 12 to 14 year old students. The two-day summer camp featured both classroom curriculum and plenty of hands-on training. While the goal of the camp was fire safety, students also learned important lessons in teamwork.
Heading up the pilot program, Lt. Marco Marcantoni noted that the fire department's public education committee sought to fill a void with the summer camp.
"Our other programs are primarily geared toward K-6 students and the older kids were forgotten. If we can change one kid's mind about fire safety through this program it's all worthwhile," said Marcantoni, a lieutenant at the Front Street fire station.
Marcantoni, however, hopes to change more minds in the future. The department plans to turn the program into a five-day camp where participants report for duty at the main fire station from 8 am. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A grant has been submitted with the federal government to pay for 80 students for the summer of 2002.
The pilot program was comprised of students from the Traverse City Boys and Girls Club. Attending the camp were Ray and Jason Szymoniak of Traverse City; Brad Delo of Fife Lake; Sandie Koury of Beulah; Laura Deponio of Traverse City; Florina Smith of Suttons Bay and Mike Mitz of Grand Rapids.
Divided into Engine and Truck companies, the students spent last Tuesday and Wednesday learning about fire safety and what it takes to wear a firefighter helmet. Classroom curriculum included fire behavior, types of fire extinguishers, basic first aid and water safety. Students even received homework-literally - as they drew up home fire escape plans.
Setting down their pencils and paper, students donned safety goggles, helmets and gloves for hands-on training.
Working with Capt. Tim Gies, students used fire extinguishers to douse flames in a burning barrel. Hazardous material specialist, Lt. Terry Flynn provided a chemistry lesson on the dangers of mixing household chemicals. Other practical portions included operating fire hoses, a firefighter obstacle course, knot tying and water safety rope throwing.
Students even had a chance to hang out with firefighter Theo Weber who is part of a technical rescue team. Using special harnesses, students tried their hand at rope rappelling; which meant dangling 30 feet off the ground.
"These kids really respond to the hands-on training. You see it in their faces ... hanging in the air like that is a big confidence boost," Marcantoni said.
However, the students were a little hesitant about one thing -smashing a sledgehammer against a car windshield. After all, it sounds like behavior that would send a teen off to, well, summer boot camp.
"I told them that is why we became firefighters, so we could break things and not get in trouble," quipped Marcantoni, who helped students tear off the roof of a vehicle using Jaws of Life equipment.