Cranberry VFC To Hold Inaugural Citizens Fire Academy

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA — The township volunteer fire company is hoping residents will ignite their passion for community involvement and participate in the upcoming inaugural Citizens Fire Academy.

The eight-week public education course will provide residents and township-based business owners a chance to explore the fire company's operations and receive a better understanding of the fire company through hands-on demonstrations and student skill stations.

What was the thinking behind starting the academy?

“We were looking at this two-fold: to give members of the community more of a hands-on look at what a fire department does, and possibly be able to recruit some people out of it,” fire company training coordinator Chris Snedeker said. “But if we don’t, it’s not the be-all, end-all.”

The academy will occur at the public safety training facility from 6:30 p.m-9:30 p.m. on September 10, 17, 24 and October 1, 8, 15 and 22. The academy will conclude with a session on October 26 from 8 a.m.-noon.

The company's volunteer firefighters will teach the sessions and cover topics such as apparatus types and functions, working in turnout gear, forcible entry, ladders, hose line advancement, and vehicle extrication.

The course will culminate with a live-burn session where participants will get a fire dynamics demonstration.