By VERNON ROBISON
The Progress
A group of 14 cadets are approaching the midway point of their 19-week long Firefighter Academy program being put on by Mesquite Fire and Rescue Department. And Academy supervisors are pleased with the progress of this homegrown class.
Last weekend saw the ninth weekly installment in a rigorous course of training which began on January 13 and will continue to May 19. Every week, the cadets assemble for classroom training on Friday evening from 6-10 pm. Then they all return bright and early on Saturday morning at about 6:30 for a grueling day of hands-on exercises that don’t end until around 6 pm.
On Saturday afternoon, March 11, the group was in full turnout gear and taking turns, in teams, at entering a smoke filled fire training structure. The cadets were learning how to do tactical ventilation: using equipment to clear smoke from a room and open the way for search and rescue efforts.
Mesquite Fire Captain Ryan Thornton, who is leading this academy, said that entering a dark smoky room in full firefighting gear is a challenge. The cadets have been working on it for a while now.
“It is one thing to be all wrapped up in your turnouts and hot,” Thornton said. “But then to be breathing air through a SCBA system in a confined space that you are wedged into with limited visibility; it is a whole different atmosphere. It takes a different mindset.”
Thornton said that the academy requires a high level of commitment from the cadets. They must give up 19 weekends to a stressful and strenuous course of training. Because the course is so compressed into a short time, almost no instances of absence are allowed.
The discipline required of the cadets in the program is intense, Thornton added.
“Of course, there is no hazing or anything like that,” he said. “But discipline and procedure is so important in this program. Because it comes down to life safety. If some procedure isn’t followed through with, that could cost a life on a fire. So attention to detail is specific and essential.”
In addition, each cadet is required to pay $2,400 in tuition earnest money to participate in the academy.
“That gives them a little skin in the game,” Thornton said.
But the program offers tremendous career benefits to the cadets. If all goes well, by the end, each cadet will have earned a Firefighter I certification in the state of Nevada. This includes a Hazmat component to the training.
“This is a national certification,” Thornton added. “So these guys, when they are out of this academy, are qualified to work as firefighters in pretty much any state of the union. It will transfer over.”
Of course, the department hopes to be able to keep as many of them as possible local, Thornton said.
“It is our goal to home-grow our own department,” he said. “It is our desire to get local kids trained to stay here and work here and be qualified to work at our department.”
Almost all of the cadets have local ties. Two came in from Las Vegas but expressed willingness to work here. All of the rest come from either Virgin Valley or Moapa Valley. The age range of this group of cadets ranges from 17-years-old at the youngest, to the oldest end being in his 40s.
“It is definitely a little bit of a gamut there, but they’ve all been great,” Thornton said.
Blake Bush, in his early 20s, is one of the cadets of the program. Bush grew up in Moapa Valley and graduated from MVHS in 2020. He has since completed an EMT Basic certification at Dixie Tech in St. George.
On Saturday, Bush said that he was enjoying the academy. But he added that it is a big commitment.
“Five months without any weekends off,” Bush said. “It is a lot of work. It is pretty intense. But it is a really good program!”
Mesquite resident Robbie Buckner had another story altogether. At 35, Buckner has a wife and small family at home. And he is attending the academy while working full-time as a dispatcher with Andrus Transportation in St. George. He also serves as a reserve fireman and EMT at Beaver Dam Fire Department. So he is constantly managing a balancing act in the midst of all of the demands for his time.
“I’m not going to lie, it has been tough sometimes,” Buckner said. “I mean I used to be a pretty good athlete back in the day. But now, 10 years without doing much, you kind of lose it. So I feel my age sometimes. But it is good. It’s a great group of guys and these younger guys are pushing me every day. We hold each other accountable.”
Despite the numbers in the academy, Mesquite Fire Department has recently opened just two positions for firefighters. The timing works out that the cadets will be eligible to test for them.
“My plan would be to come here and work for the Mesquite Department,” Buckner said. “They do have some spots open right now. So I will apply and we will see what happens.”
