Firefighting, EMT

Firefighting and EMT teams went to regionals Dec. 9 at San Antonio. 

“It’s going really well this year,” firefighting and EMT teacher Ted Haviland said. “I think we got a good team this year and we got some good leadership.”

Firefighting competed in Team Agility, Individual Agility, Bunker Gear Race, and Search and rescue; while EMT competed in Patient Assessment. 

“Firefighting focuses mostly on, like, actually going into fires and fire suppression and, like, recently we’ve been doing hose lays and hose advances,” junior Wren Garner said . “With EMT it’s, like, the patient aspect, like focusing on actually taking care of the people that are hurt.”

Practices started at the end of last year and continued in late August. 

“We practice after school and then we practice during our class time,” Haviland said. “So we’ve had a lot more practice than we had last year. It’s going really well.” 

Senior Jakara Taylor and other members from both teams expressed their nervousness.

“Um, I’m a little scared to go into competition, just because it may be different from what we’ve been practicing in class,” Taylor said. 

Other students, such as senior Sarah Ross, expressed their excitement and readiness for their competitions. 

“I feel excited and ready.” Ross said. “I think that we’ve done a lot of practicing and we’re well prepared. I’m excited to see what happens and what comes next.”

After placing in regionals last year, Haviland’s goal for both teams is to get a second chance at sweeping. 

“For both these teams- from our fire class and EMT- is to win state and in multiple events,” Haviland said. 

Though the students have been preparing to compete in competitions, they also want to learn necessary skills that will help them in the future.

“I just feel like knowing how EMTs apply a bandage, or you know something in that nature, it’s just something you need to know in life in case anything were to happen,” senior Benjamin Yabarra said. 

Many members of the team have been there since sophomore year, so they have developed a close relationship with Haviland.

“I feel like I’m really close to the students because I treat them like normal people, not just students,” Haviland said. “I treat them like my kids. They kind of are my kids. I’ve always called them my kids, my firefighters, my EMTs. So they’re kind of like my family and that’s how it is at the firehouse too.”