Registration Opens for 2017 Citizens Fire Academy
The Valdosta Fire Department (VFD) will host its fourth annual Citizens Fire Academy designed to educate the residential and business communities about the services provided by the VFD, to increase fire and life safety awareness and to establish community partnerships.
The academy is scheduled on nine consecutive Tuesday nights, from 6 to 9 p.m., beginning on Aug. 29 and concluding on Oct. 24. All classes will be held at the Valdosta Regional Training Center unless otherwise stated. Citizens must be at least 18 years of age and complete an application, background check and release of liability form. Although the program is free, Valdosta Fire Chief Freddie Broome will ask all participants for their commitments to attend all nine weeks of the program.
"The only thing this program will cost citizens is their time," said Fire Chief Broome. "Much effort has been made to offer a quality program that will benefit our citizens. I can assure all participants that it will be time well spent, getting an inside look into the fire and life-safety services of this department."
Participants will learn all aspects of the department's operations, have an opportunity to participate in the VFD's Ride-Along Program, and will receive valuable life safety CPR certification training. Program days are scheduled as followed:
Week 1: Orientation
Week 2: Introduction to VFD
Week 3: Communications
Week 4: Fire Prevention
Week 5: CPR/First Aid
Week 6: PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)/Search and Rescue
Week 7: Georgia Search and Rescue (GSAR) and Extrication
Week 8: Live Burn and Firefighter Rehabilitation
Week 9: Final Review and Graduation
The program is limited to 25 participants, and the deadline to apply is Tuesday, Aug. 1. Download the VFD Citizens Fire Academy application or complete the online application form.
The Citizens Fire Academy is one of three extensive educational programs in the City of Valdosta—the other two are the Citizens Police Academy and the Government 101 Citizens Orientation Program—designed to give citizens valuable knowledge of resources through a behind-the-scenes view of their local government.
For more information about the Citizens Fire Academy, call the VFD at 229-333-1835 or email valdostafire@valdostacity.com.