Students from multiple local schools attended the Rescue & Response Career Fair in Eureka on October 22nd. Arcata High students in the new Public Safety class were also granted the opportunity to participate in this event.
Consisting of representatives from local police, fire, and other emergency services, the fair stood as an open learning ground with discussions, demonstrations, and live, hands-on exercises. Memorable events included using a fire extinguisher, sitting in a helicopter, and being able to discuss any questions related to your possible future in a noble career.
One topic frequently discussed during the fair was the shortage of emergency service workers, not only in our community, but across the entire U.S. Due to workers not being paid fairly, along with benefits that don’t meet the standards for the line of work they’re in, emergency service officials have been on a steady decline, especially in the past few years..
One reason for the shortage was brought up by senior Sofia Flores when talking about the fire service: “It’s physically taxing and it’s not something everyone’s willing to do,” Flores said. “You need to be able to hike with a 45lb pack. If you’re not physically fit, you can’t do that.”
Being part of any emergency service requires a lot of self-care and discipline. With the public’s safety and well-being on the line, you must be able to adapt and overcome any situation.
Future careers in the fire service interested many Arcata High students, including Flores. With Cal-Fire, Humboldt Bay Fire, and many other local fire agencies, there are many options to choose from.
Senior Blake Corse is another student who hopes to be a part of Cal-Fire in the future. Corse has multiple family members in the fire service, ranging from Cal-Fire to Federal captains. His family has a history in the fire service.
Corse’s opinion on the shortage in California specifically is chalked up to the state itself: “California likes to save money. So they were cutting back on people.” Corse said, “They were like, Oh, we haven’t had fires in a while, and it definitely did affect the public, especially in L.A.”
This decline in emergency response workers is especially important in our region of the country,
given Northern California’s vast forests and wilderness. Having a fire agency with many employees or volunteers is essential to the safety of all residents in the event of a large fire outbreak.
If you want to be involved, make a difference, and most importantly, save lives, the fire service is a respectable and honorable career that should really be considered.
