Jorge Figueroa hated heights.
The 23-year-old was rigged into a climbing harness and was putting all his trust into a few meters of rope, some carabineers and the men above him.
Figueroa was not rock climbing.
He was rappelling down the side of a stairwell simulating an old apartment building in an exercise to prepare him for an actual rescue if an emergency should break out.
Figueroa is a cadet in the Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy.
“We’re going to try something new,” said one of the instructors.
He told Figueroa to walk his legs up the wall until his back was flat against the wall, wrap his legs around the lead lines holding him and turn 180 degrees so he was crawling down the stairwell like Spiderman.
Figueroa was not pleased and was happy to have his two feet on the ground when he was done. However, he now has one more piece of ammo in his arsenal to battle against the various dangers he will meet as a fire fighter.
The Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy trains firefighter hopefuls and gives them the skills they need for their future careers.
According to Academy Coordinator Jim Peterson, being a firefighter is one of the hardest and most dangerous jobs.
“It’s more than fighting fires,” said Petersen. “You have to be of high character. We see the public at the worst time- you have to be able to make it better.”
The Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy is an accredited California State Fire Marshal program that provides certificates from several safety and rescue organization including the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the California State Fire Marshal.
To qualify for the program, a student must take the required prerequisite courses including Fire Protection Organization and Emergency Medical Technician Basics. It’s also recommended to take several other Fire Technology courses to prepare for the academy.
The academy, while being physically and mentally challenging, has a sense of camaraderie that surrounds it.
“I like the brotherhood with all the cadets,” said 23-year-old Jason Clark.
The graduating class of the fire academy, Battalion 32, is small, just like the trade the cadets will go into. This solidifies the brotherhood Clark enjoys as well as creates a second family for the service men and women.
“It’s a very small industry and you cross paths when you get into fire service,” said Petersen. “It’s a small family and they learn to get along that way. It’s a nurturing thing for them to do.”
The academy cadets learn about all career options related to the program including Emergency Medical Technicians and dispatchers. However, they all go through the same rigorous training at the fire academy. The cadets go through 960 hours of training that includes hose operations, ladder drills, low angle rescue drills, fire chemistry, vehicle rescue and other simulations.
“It’s a prestigious job. Just be physically fit. Always be ready to work. It’s not easy. It’s pretty difficult,” said Clark. “They expect a lot out of everybody. If you’re going to do it, be serious. Train like your life depends on it.”
The cadets of Battalion 32 will be graduating on Dec. 13 at the Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy at the Camarillo Airport in a ceremony at 10 a.m. The cadets will be running a number of simulations before the ceremony, showing off their newly acquired skills to friends and family.
For more information about the Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy, visit www.OxnardCollege.edu.
Jorge Figueroa, 23, rappels down the side of a wall upside-down to simulate arescue situation while instructors and classmates look on. (Hannah Davey)
