VIDEO: Nearly 100 students spent the week learning what it takes to become a firefighter during a hands-on training camp at the National First Responder Training Complex in Corpus Christi. The camp, held at the facility on Saratoga Boulevard, gave aspiring first responders an opportunity to experience many of the challenges firefighters face on the job.
Throughout the week, students participated in training exercises designed to teach lifesaving skills, teamwork, discipline and leadership.
Organizers say the camp is about more than firefighting techniques. It also helps young people build confidence, develop responsibility and learn the importance of working together under pressure.
Fire and Rescue Director Matthew Montgomery said it is rewarding to watch the transformation that takes place over the course of the five-day program.
“You can see a total change from Day 1 to Day 5,” Montgomery said. “Seeing the excitement coming out of them really fuels the instructors and myself.”
KIII-TV ABC 3 Corpus Christi