PORT TOWNSEND — The Brinnon Fire Department celebrated graduation for this year’s cadets in training, a group of six teens who completed a range of first responder activities.
The cadet graduates were Brinnon residents Timmy Manly and Tyler Matheson, who completed their third year in the program; Isaac Figueroa of Brinnon and Amirrah Woods of Quilcene, both of whom finished their second year as cadets; and Brinnon’s Madison Boling and Lilliwaup’s Emmet Shaw, both of whom finished their first year in the program.
The ceremony was held at the Brinnon Fire Department (BFD) at the beginning of the Brinnon Fire Commission’s meeting. Attending to support the cadets were family members, community members and members of the BFD.
State Sen. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, attended the graduation, addressing the candidates and the attendees, and he presented the cadets with certificates of completion.
“For parents, this is a proud moment,” he said. “They worked really hard from what I can tell. You’re going to be able to help. Really, I think we live at ground zero in western Washington of wildfires. This community has seen wildfire. I hope that you all consider moving on so that you can be part of that front line of defending us and defending this community.”
Along with the certificates, Boling and Shaw received ceramic pins to commemorate completion of their first year of training, pinned on by their mothers.
The program, now in its fourth year, sees the cadets gathering for twice-monthly trainings from May to October, both hands-on and in the classroom, Brinnon Fire Chief Tim Manly said.
The cadets trained with and learned about hoses, ladders, pumps, ropes, bunker gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses, Manly said.
They learn how to do search and rescue with actual equipment.
“Every single one of our cadets has been first aid and CPR trained,” Manly said.
Depending on how far into the program the cadets are, some may participate in real-world scenarios.
“Some of our cadets are actually riding on 911 calls and getting to do ride-alongs and experiencing (Emergency Medical Services) calls and literally helping us on calls when appropriate,” Manly said.
Well before going on a ride-along, some information about the nature of what the cadets might see is provided both to the cadets and the parents, who are encouraged to attend as much of the training as they would like to, Manly said.
Manly facilitates and provides the trainings along with the Fire Commission’s Board Chairman Justin Matheson, Firefighter and EMT Blake Mann and Firefighter and EMT Pilar Dolan.
The program is paid for by the Brinnon Fire Association but falls under the district’s insurance, which provides required training resources, Manly said.
The cadets also attend a three-day camping trip, a highlight of the program for more than one of the cadets.
“I was there for the big trench digging, and it was just really fun to be able to be hanging out and do some real-world scenarios,” Shaw said. “We dug about like a mile-long line where we were clearing everything out of the ground. It would be like if there was a fire burning and we wanted to stop it.”
The trench was as wide as 5 feet in places, Shaw said.
“During our camping trip, we got to go out on the fire boat and to shoot some water cannons and that was fun,” Figueroa said. “You got to put on a dry suit and get in the water. That was pretty fun too.”
A majority of the cadets said they are considering careers as firefighters and/or medics.
“I’ve wanted to be a firefighter since I was like 7,” Woods said. “I’ve been waiting to do this ever since it came out. I really wanted to be in the program.”
Timmy, chief Manly’s son, said he is interested as well.
“I joined the cadets because my dad’s been in the fire community for like, 40, 50 years,” he said. “I’ve always gone to the fire station. Even when I was a little kid, I just loved it. I just found my passion for fire.”
The program already has seen a cadet go on to become a career firefighter, Manly said. Brady Matheson won Peninsula Daily News’ firefighter of the year award this year.
Brady’s father is the Chairman of BFD’s Fire Commission. His brother is among this year’s graduated cadets.
“Obviously we’re focusing on fire and EMS, but we understand that some of these kids may have different dreams and so on, becoming a doctor or a lawyer or whatever their career might be doing,” Manly said. “This is just giving them some basic skills to start entering into a workforce.”
“It is about the community,” Chapman said. “No one could see this kind of ceremony and not understand that this is really important to these students.”
Brinnon is an especially small, it’s tight-knit and a tight-knit community, Chapman said.
“I think one of the things we hate is we don’t want our No. 1 export to be our kids,” Chapman said.
Programs like this empower the next generation to see that they can stay, work and serve in the community, he added.
The program, which admits teens from 13 to 17, is open to anyone who can regularly travel to the station, Manly said.
Those interested in learning more can call the department’s administrative phone at 360-796-4450 or email district Secretary Crystal Manly at cmanly@brinnonfire.com.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Top row, from left: State Sen. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, and the Brinnon Fire Commissioners, Jason Gleason, Dan Ventura and board Chairman Justin Matheson, FF/EMT-IV Antonio Rubal, FF/EMT-IV Jacob Ellis and Fire Chief Tim Manly. Bottom row, from left: Cadets Madison Boling, Amirrah Woods, Emmet Shaw, Isaac Figueroa, Timmy Manly and Tyler Matheson. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
