A day in the life...First Due Firefighter Camp – Day 5

Rhonda Griffin

After five brutal days in temperatures of more than 100 degrees, the First Due Firefighter Camp cadets are getting a much-needed weekend off. Bladen's 17 junior firefighters who are taking part in the first camp of its kind in the county have worked hard this week, but they have already learned tons of new skills that will benefit them as they are serving their departments.

The cadets have begun each of their mornings in the camp with raising both the state and the American flags to fly high above the Elizabethtown Fire Department where the camp is being hosted. After a time of prayer and devotion and the Pledge of Allegiance, it's time for stretching exercises and a 1.5-mile run.

Three local pastors, Chris Carroll of Elizabethtown Baptist Church; Tim Reaves of the Bladen Charge United Methodist Churches; and Bruce Cannon of the Bladen Baptist Association, are volunteering their time to visit with the cadets and instructors for a devotional to begin their mornings during the camp.

The remainder of each day is spent in both classroom and hands-on settings, with the cadets first discussing what to do in each type of emergency situation and then going through the steps to get their own personal experiences. A few of the cadets had already faced situations involving some of the techniques they were learning, but for most, this training has been their first experience using these lifesaving skills.

This week has held CPR and turnout gear training, along with learning how to assist an injury victim by preparing the patient for transport and a visit from an AirLink helicopter to learn important safety skills for setting up a landing zone and loading a patient into a chopper.

At 8 a.m. Monday, the cadets will gather again for their second and final week of First Due Firefighter Camp, and BladenOnline.com will continue to follow their successes.