Starting April 30, citizens can get a taste of being a firefighter.
The Cortez Fire Protection District is accepting applications for its Citizens’ Fire Academy.
Applications are due by April 16.
“You really get a good insight of what it like to be a firefighter,” said Fire Chief Jeff Vandevoorde.
Participants may wear fire gear, enter a smoke-filled room, use an auto-extraction device, climb ladders, pull hoses and put out trash bin fires.
“They get to see how hard this job is and what firefighters have to do,” Vandevoorde said.
The class is limited to 12 participants and begins Thursday, April 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. There will also be three Saturday sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Reid Wright attended the academy a few years back.
“It was a lot of fun. I recommend it to anyone,” Wright said.
Dousing a burning car and entering a smokefilled building were highlights, he said.
“I was really interesting to be deprived of your sense of sight,” he said. “You realize your other senses aren’t as trustworthy.”
Although the academy isn’t as rigorous as firefighter training, it gives participants a taste of what it’s like.
“It’s a good opportunity to experience the rigors of professional fire fighting,” Wright said.
In addition, those that complete the academy get a Heart-saver CPR/First Aid certificate.