Aiming to give children a taste of what it’s like to be a firefighter, East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2 is sponsoring a youth fire academy this summer.
The week-long camp, which runs from July 30 to Aug. 3, is open to children from ages 10 to 15.
The camp will introduce them to the world of the firefighter, said Fire Chief Mario Batista of East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2.
The deadline to enroll in the free Youth Fire Academy is July 20.
As a special treat, the young “firefighters” will show off what they have learned by taking part in a simulated emergency on Aug. 4, followed by graduation from the Youth Fire Academy.
“Knowing children spend most of their time involved with the Internet and not always enjoying fun activities, I decided to offer the youth fire camp. It’s free, and it gives them something to do, to learn and to have fun,” Chief Batista said.
The children will learn what firefighters do, he said. They will go through a very basic fire academy training program, similar to the ones that firefighters go through – but the activities will be based on the children’s ages.
Chief Batista also has arranged for police officers from the East Windsor Police Department, the Robbinsville Police Department’s K9 unit and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office to visit the camp.
Emergency medical technicians from the New Jersey EMS Task Force will visit the camp, while the New Jersey State Police medical helicopter will make a scheduled landing at the camp, Chief Batista said.
Campers will also learn about 9-1-1 emergency communications when a representative from Mercer County Central Communications, which handles fire and EMS calls, pays a visit to the camp.
“The camp also opens the door to young people learning about the emergency services as a possible career,” Chief Batista said.
The youth fire camp may even lead to young people volunteering with the fire company when they are older, he said.
For more information or to get an application packet, call East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2 at 609-443-5130, or email [email protected].