SCHOOLS

At migrant high school, Salem-Keizer students explore firefighting

Amy Froylan laughs as she breaths through a firefighter’s regulator for the first time during Salem-Keizer’s migrant high school program on the Chemeketa Community College Brooks campus (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Ted Farr addressed a room of about 15 Salem-Keizer high school students sitting in a classroom at the Chemeketa Community College Brooks campus.

“The turnout gear is heavy, no two ways about it,” he said.

With an air tank on the back, a fully dressed firefighter is carrying an extra 60 pounds, he said. Then he asked the group: How long do you think it takes to put everything on?

“Five minutes?” one student guessed.

Farr smiled. “One minute, thirty seconds,” he said.

Emmanuel Arevalo tries on a firefighter uniform, also called personal protective equipment, during a trip to the Chemeketa Community College’s Brooks campus as a part of the Salem-Keizer Migrant High School. (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

The students are part of Salem-Keizer’s migrant summer school program, which combines credit recovery or extra classes with career exploration.

The first week of July focused on public safety: law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire.

After a classroom session with Farr where students watched a video of a house fire response and learned about career options, they went outside for some hands-on practice.

Alondra Gonzalez puts on a pair of turnout pants. Gonzalez is a 15-year-old participant in the Salem-Keizer Migrant High School, a program designed to help migrant students succeed in and out of the classroom. (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Amy Froylan laughs at the size and weight of a pair of old turnouts as she takes them to try on. (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Despite the heat and humidity, more than half the group opted to put on the full firefighter uniform.

Several students found they were too short for the provided suspenders, so classmates helped them by tying knots at the top to keep the straps on their shoulders.

“Not too bad,” reported student Anthony Campos after suiting up.

Other classmates were less optimistic. “It’s heavy,” several said. One did jumping jacks.

First year firefighting student Conner Grimes lays out the complete uniform for students to observe before taking part in a race to get the equipment on. (Anna CK Smith/special to Salem Reporter)

Ted Farr, Chemeketa fire science teacher and retired Salem Fire Captain, demonstrates how the regulator works for students of the Salem-Keizer Migrant High School.

Ted Farr talks to a class of high school students about the forensics of a fire during a class for Salem-Keizer migrant high school. (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Chemeketa fire students helped the high-schoolers with their gear and demonstrated proper technique for suiting up quickly and getting a regular working.

The students followed suit, some laughing as they breathed through the unfamiliar masks.

Chemeketa fire student Abby Frey demonstrates donning a self-contained breathing apparatus to Salem-Keizer migrant high school students (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Conner Grimes shows migrant high school student Aaron Gutierrez how a firefighter’s tank works during a lesson (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

A group of students lay out tanks and regulators for inspection (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Anthony Campos swings an air tank over his shoulder (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Alondra Gonzalez tightens her mask while gearing up during a firefighting class (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

Alondra Gonzalez, a sophomore at North Salem High School, beamed as she suited up.

“When you’re in the suit, you feel different. It was really fun,” she said.

She wanted to be a nurse before the class, but said the fire practice made her reconsider.

“Maybe this is a second option,” she said.

Salem-Keizer migrant high school students pose after donning firefighting gear (Anna CK Smith/Special to Salem Reporter)

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