The pride is palpable in this photo of seven of the high school students who participated in the firefighting training, which involved a controlled burn of the already-damaged barn in the background.
Photos and info by Mike Kellems
(CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE)
WNLP readers will recall an article last fall that introduced a new program created by the Kankakee Township Volunteer Fire Department to teach area high school students about the fire service. The program has progressed over the past year, with the students meeting weekly for classes and hands-on training. On Sunday morning, Nov. 17, 2013, the firefighting students participated in a practice burn of a barn in Galena Township.
On July 4, 2012, Kankakee firefighters responded to a fire on CR 200E just south of CR 1000N near the Heston area. The barn fire was quickly extinguished. The owner of the barn recently decided against repairing it, and offered it to the fire department for the training.
Students were taught about water supply, pump operations and protecting structures that are near a building on fire.
Two of the students monitor the fire and stand at the ready to wet down hot spots.
Michael Vershay practices breaching a block wall with a sledgehammer.
Tyler Weller, a junior at New Prairie High School, works on draining a hose line. The students learn all aspects of firefighting, including the labor-intensive cleanup.