SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (KTIV) – Sergeant Bluff Fire and Rescue is partnering with Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community Schools for its own Fire Science Academy program next semester for the first time.
The program allows students to earn both high school and college credit while training at the fire station.
Fire Chief Anthony Gaul, who previously split time between teaching Sioux City’s Fire Science Academy and serving as the volunteer fire chief. He is now full-time with the department.
“We’ve had a few 100 people through that over the last year, so I’m excited to get a chance to teach again,” said Gaul.
He said he is excited to be investing more into his community in this capacity, “This is, it’s unique. It’s in my own community. It’s in the community that I grew up in. I graduated from Sergeant Bluff.”
The students will actually come to the fire station for this training.
“They’ll get high school and college credit for the classes that we’re going to do. They will transfer right into Western Iowa Tech’s program for fire science,” said Gaul.
The academy is open to five other community high schools, including Westwood, Woodbury Central, Lawton-Bronson, Hinton, and West Monona.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton Superintendent Chad Janzen said one student from another school will participate this semester, so far, with others planning to join next fall. There are students who are already volunteering in the department as well.
“We’ve always had students in Sergeant Bluff at the school on the fire department. Anywhere from 2-3 students on average on any given year. There are five now, really exciting for our community and for the fire department. This is just another way to expand those opportunities for those kids,” said Janzen.
Students will attend one class every other day during the semester, receiving comprehensive training in fire science fundamentals.
“From materials to ropes and knots to firefighting equipment and the difference in the apparatus. They’re actually going to get a couple of national certifications along with that class as well,” Gaul said.
Funding and equipment benefits
The Sergeant Bluff-Luton School Foundation helped make this program possible with a $10,000 donation recently.
“We’re going to be able to get everything that we need for this. And there’s going to be some side benefits for the fire department as well. There’s going to be some equipment that we get for the program, especially when it comes to fire protection systems that our firefighters are going to get to train on and use as well,” Gaul said.
Students who are already volunteers with the department will receive internship credit for their community work in addition to college credit toward Western Iowa Tech’s fire science program.
“This is a great opportunity to provide some more programming for our students that can be a benefit to our community as well as surrounding communities,” Janzen said.
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