Rob: Well, thank you Robert.
And we'll certainly be watching it as the season progresses.
Well, as we mentioned, 2005 and 2006 turned into the worst fire seasons in
our state's history.
Some 3,000 blazes scorched over half-a-million acres across the state, and
damaged close to a thousand homes and stretching firefighters,
well, to the limit.
Out of these ashes came a renewed effort by the state of Oklahoma to train
a new generation of mostly rural, and often volunteer firefighters.
In a team report, we examine how that investment is paying off.
Our Jessica Betts starts us off.
Jessica: Well Rob, volunteer firefighters are really keeping people and
places safe in Oklahoma.
As a matter of fact, 95 percent of all firemen in Oklahoma are volunteers,
especially in rural communities.
Well, I found a program at Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center working
to keep fire departments staffed, and Oklahomans alive.
Jessica: They're getting geared up, and ready to go, emulating real-life
fire rescue scenarios, and on their way to becoming volunteer firefighters.
Brian Arnold: They'll be doing not only search and rescue, but fire attack,
and back-up lines.
They have a lot of homework.
They do a lot of skills sheets.
They take lots of quizzes and tests.
Jessica: Brian Arnold is the fire training coordinator at
Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, in Choctaw,
training a class of 28, for 16 weeks.
Arnold: What we're trying to do, here, is basically prepare people to be
firefighters, line firefighters.
When they leave this class, if they are hired on by a department, or
they're picked up with a volunteer department, they are line ready.
They're ready to go to work.
Jessica: Helping meet a critical need in rural Oklahoma.
Arnold: Our fire departments around the metro area have come to us
and asked that we do this initial training because it is a cost saving
measure for them, but it also gives them state-of-the-art,
up-to-date training, that these people are prepared once they come into their
fire department.
Jessica: And Arnold says a benefit of the fire academy is learning more
than how to put out fires.
Arnold: A lot of what's involved is the camaraderie as they go
through the 16 weeks, and these guys will build bonds with the other
students that are in here.
Just like it is within the fire service at the fire house.
Safety is a big issue.
Not only do you have to think about being safe for yourself, but also safe
with the people that we're charged with protecting.
So they learn a lot about risk benefit while they're going through this, about
when it's time to take some chances, and when it's not, and supporting
each other.
Jessica: For class commander, Jamey Hodge, this training is helping
him fulfill a personal goal.
Jamey Hodge: It's something I've always wanted to do.
My son encouraged me to go after my dreams, and that's why I'm here.
Jessica: Walking in unison, and together, making a difference.