The University of Idaho Argonaut

Home

Students first line of fire defense

Written by Brandon Macz - Argonaut

Monday, 14 April 2008

Senior Travis Potter earns his rent by working for the Moscow Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department. He is one of 21 students working in the MVFAD Residential Scholarship Program, which is only offered to college students and typically is the first response when an emergency occurs in the city. Potter will work as a paramedic for the MVFAD until he graduates and said he plans to take a full-time position with another fire department. “Some of the kids do it while they’re going to school and that’s the end of them,” said Dave Reynolds, EMS division chief. “Some of them use it as a career-building tool.” Sophomore Brian Veseth is in his second year at Station 1 on Main Street and is studying fire ecology and management at the University of Idaho. He found out about the residential program from his sister who is also in the program. “She started doing it and I thought it sounded fun,” Veseth said. Residential volunteers work one shift for every five days. The weekly shift is from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. The weekend shift works a 24-hour day starting at 7:30 a.m. Daytime calls are assigned to those who are present in the station at the time. “It’s a fair amount of time commitment, so if you don’t like it you won’t make it,” Veseth said. “You’re living and working 24/7.” The three stations operating in Moscow provide a laundry facility, double-occupancy dorm rooms, a kitchen and an entertainment room. The Main Street station uses a portion of its second floor for social functions. A traditional brass pole by the far wall leads to the Engine Bay. The department covers up to 1,500 EMS and 700 fire calls every year Reynolds said, and covers a “pretty broad spectrum” of calls. “About two-thirds of our calls are medical and the other third are fire,” Veseth said. “Everyone in the resident program has several hundred hours of training. We take pride in our work.” Students are not given a stipend in the residential program, so they work part-time jobs or try to make enough money to cover other expenses, Veseth said. Reynolds said MVFAD gets a lot of applications through word-of-mouth and high schools in the state. Students can find out about the residential program through the college recruitment office and every year at Vandal Friday. “There are a lot of kids who look for fire department programs like this,” he said. Students must pass a firefighter fitness test to qualify for the program. Fitness standards relate to many aspects of being a firefighter such as being able to carry a fire hose up a ladder. Accepted residents will be given training at the station by a training officer in a week-long orientation the last week before the fall semester. Testing will begin at the end of the month. “We realize we are a trimming department,” Reynolds said. “You can pretty much come in without experience.” Just like the residence halls and Greek system, there is no alcohol allowed in the stations and Veseth said responding to fires can get in the way of school at times. He also said it can be a good experience when going to college. “We’re pretty strict with the kids but they really live up to it,” Reynolds said. Veseth said the residential program is similar to an internship where experience is gathered by jumping into the actions of fire fighting and responding to emergency calls. “Other jobs, interns are not supposed to do anything,” he said. “Here, we’re in charge of safety” Add as favorites (42) | Views: 424 Be first to comment this article Write Comment Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code. Name: Title: Comment: