CARBONDALE, Pa. — It’s not every day that you can get an up-close look at being a firefighter or working as a volunteer first responder.
But a new partnership between Lackawanna County 4-H, Penn State Extension, Carbondale Fire Department, and the city looks to give curious kids a chance.
“When people go off to college, and they start leaving the area, it’s harder to keep them, kind of hooked into the fire service or the EMS service or wherever. So hopefully if we get them a little early enough, we can have that time with them before they leave, and hopefully we can convince them to stay,” said Michael McHale, Carbondale Fire Department.
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Michael Mchale is a firefighter with Station 51 and is one of the organizers of the Junior First Responder Club, starting in Carbondale. “Volunteerism is down all over the country, especially here in Pennsylvania, and we’re hoping that this will spark some interest in first being a first responder and also teach kids some valuable skills that they can take home,” he said.
Mchale says the free event will highlight the work they do in the area as well as educate community members about some of the many services first responders provide. “There’s Swiftwater rescue teams, there’s urban search and rescue teams. We have people that are connected to medical helicopters and different kinds of things. So there’s a lot of things in this area that I don’t think people really understand or know about, and we hope to show the kids that.”
Mayor Michele Bannon hopes the event will spark an interest in some who may want to pursue a career that ensures the safety and protection of those around them. “Getting people lined up early on, it draws, it builds a great foundation, and it keeps them interested for lifelong purposes.”
An open house for the Junior First Responder Club will be on Tuesday, April 21st, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Carbondale Fire Station, giving all a chance to give back.