Standard Fire hosts 4-H Skills for Life
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Near the end of March, the Standard Fire Department hosted members from the Crowfoot 4-H Multi Club Skills for Life program for a tour of the fire hall.
Throughout the tour, the Skills for Life kids were taught by Fire Chief Mark Duguay and his team about the importance of giving back to their local community and being actively involved.
Skills for Life is a program which operates throughout the year, focussing on helping kids learn about and develop skills they can use as they grow into young adults.
Project Leader, Connie Harder said 4-H members and their parents were taught about how volunteer firefighters respond to a 911 call and how the dispatch system works.
“The big takeaway is that the members in these small communities are not paid,” said Harder. “They are volunteers and when those tones go off because you are having an emergency, they stop whatever they are doing so that they can respond to that tone. This was something very valuable for our kids to learn – the sacrifice that these volunteers make.”
Information included in the tour also detailed costs incurred when fire engines are deployed, equipment costs and maintenance, and how many hours volunteer firefighters dedicate to the cause annually.
Harder added she believes it was an excellent experience for the kids to get the chance to understand what goes on behind the scenes and develop a sense of perspective regarding what it takes to be a firefighter.
A part of the tour which she said resonated with the kids was seeing a hot water station inside a fire truck.
“When these fire fighters are on a call, they can be out there for 12 -16+ hours at a time,” said Harder. “Often, they are called out in the worst weather conditions. So, they are hungry, they are cold and they need hydration.”
With this hot water and food compartment, they can make themselves a cup of soup, grab a granola bar and coffee. They do this so they don’t have to leave the scene to be well.”
Currently, there are 27 youth involved in the Crowfoot 4-H Multi Club. Of these, eight are a part of the Skills for Life Program.
Skills for Life kids are allowed to choose activities they are interested in learning more about, and it becomes the responsibility of project leaders to make the connections necessary for the kids to be introduced to new skills and activities.
Another skill the kids were previously introduced to was how to change a tire, for which Skills for Life partnered with Ok Tire for the demonstration.
“They taught them how to change a tire manually, where to find a spare, how to use a jack, and what the air tools would work like if they were to do it professionally,” said Harder.