Local teens take part in Fire Service’s first-ever course for TY students
Students who participated in the fire and rescue service course in Hacketstown
TWELVE local teenagers took part in Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service’s first-ever transition year course programme at the Hacketstown Training and Development Centre recently. The five-day module gave the students an opportunity to experience the training and role of a firefighter, in addition to a certified manual handling course and an Irish Heart Foundation CPR course.
The students were visited by all manner of emergency service workers throughout the course, who each gave career information talks.
The Carlow Roads Policing Unit also paid a visit and talked about their role at road traffic accidents and road safety measures such as speed checks, roadside breathalysers and drug tests.
Students also got the chance to experience a virtual road accident through VR headsets, which provided them with a valuable lesson about road hazards, distraction and causes of collisions.
Students also received a tour of the Incident Command Unit at the Hacketstown Training and Development Centre, where they observed firefighters carrying out refresher breathing apparatus and compartment fire behaviour training courses.
Ben Woodhouse, assistant chief fire officer of Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service, said: “I am delighted to deliver our first pilot course for TY students and give an opportunity for them to experience and learn about the role of a firefighter. Our firefighters do an excellent job serving and protecting communities in Co Carlow, including making a difference to someone’s life in their time of most need, using specialist skills, training, fleet and equipment.
“The TY course has brought 12 teenagers together, who have no fire service experience and most of whom were strangers to each other, yet over the five days they gelled together and operated as a team completing various fire service tasks. Hopefully, they will bring this experience and newly-acquired skills forward with them in whichever career direction they take, which may include a future role in the fire service.
“I’m immensely proud of what they have achieved and wish them well for the future. I also wish to thank the TY trainers from the four Carlow County Fire Stations: SO Darrell Hayden, SSO Eddie O’Hara, SSO Daniel Fitzpatrick, DM Frankie Whelan, FF Ronan Boyle and FF Teegan Joyce.”
