Wilmington Fire Department hosts Junior Fire Academy

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – The Wilmington Fire Department is hosting the first session of its annual Junior Fire Academy this week.

The program runs June 9–13. It offers high school students hands-on training and life-saving skills. The academy is free and includes lunch each day.

Participants learn CPR, first aid, and how to use a fire extinguisher. They also try on firefighter gear, search for victims, and take part in a scaled-down version of the department’s physical agility test, known as JPAT.

Cooper McGee, a participant, said wearing the gear gives him a better sense of the job.
“It’s fun and the gear is heavy… ours isn’t as heavy but it still gets hot like their gear too,” McGee said.

Lily Schroeder, another student in the academy, said the experience has been valuable.
“They’ve put us through a lot of the stuff that they do and they’ve taught us a lot too,” she said. “I really liked putting out the fire, that was really cool… but honestly, all of it has been super fun.”
“I mean it’s kind of hard but it’s so worth it,” she added.

Fire Chief Steve Mason said the department hopes the program will spark interest in the fire service.
“It not only teaches them life-long skills but introduces and fosters the idea of a career in the fire service,” Mason said.

The department plans to host a second session of the Junior Fire Academy later this summer.