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A unique program in an Arizona school district is giving students the opportunity to get hands-on training to set them up for life after graduation. 12 News reported that the Fire Sciences program is typically male-led, but now a group of females is dominating.
The high school students in the program are getting rigorous hands-on firefighting training. Valley firefighter Danny Comella leads the program in CPR training, dual fire-science college credits, training in pulling hoses, and ride-alongs with the Phoenix Fire Department.
Comella said, "It’s giving them life skills on how to get along with people, how to work under stress, whatever job they get. Just put them under that physical and mental stress that they can take anywhere along with their life."
Out of the program's 60 students, only six of them are female. But, the small group has proven to be great. The team swept the latest Valley fire science competition, despite being down a couple of members.
Breanna Allgood, one of the team members, said, "Only having five of us against seven people is difficult. Two of us had to do two obstacles, so we stuck together and cheered each other on."
Comella says he is proud of his current and former students who will shine for years down the road.