The Van Buren Township Fire Department will conduct its third Citizen’s Fire Academy class beginning this month.
The nine-week Academy meets 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday nights from April 30 through June 13 including three Saturday classes (May 2, June 6 and June 13 – 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.).
It affords participants the opportunity to learn the tactics and strategies involved in firefighting and rescue operations through both classroom and hands-on sessions.
The Academy exists to provide insight into the inner workings of the Van Buren Township Fire Department and to better inform the community it serves about the multitude of services it provides.
Participants will have the opportunity to receive CPR certification and AED training, as well as the knowledge of how to react positively in the event of a fire or medical emergency and how to select and use the proper fire extinguisher.
Highlights of the class include live fire training and the opportunity to “work” a shift and ride-along on emergency calls.
All Academy instructors are members of the Van Buren Township Fire Department and have attained a minimum certification of State of Michigan Firefighter II and, in most cases, much higher levels of certification and instruction have been attained.
These highly qualified personnel are committed to providing information to participants in a professional manner, with the intent of providing individualized instruction to every participant. A realistic balance of classroom time and practical exercises makes the course both informative and interesting. To this end, class size is limited, allowing for good interaction between instructors and participants while maintaining a safe learning environment.
The Citizens Fire Academy is open to anyone 18 or older who lives or works in Van Buren Township and has no prior felony convictions. A routine police background check is part of the selection process. Classes are limited to 20 students and the cost for the program is FREE.
An application may be obtained at:
• VBT Fire Station #1 (45400 Hull Road);
• VBT Fire Station #2 (7981 Belleville Road); and
• VBT Police Station (46425 Tyler Road).
All applications must be returned to Fire Station 1 or 2 by Friday April 17, 2015. Spots are limited, so register as soon as possible. For questions or more information email Battalion Chief Ron Folks at [email protected] or Fire Chief Daniel Besson at [email protected] or 734-699-8916.