SWAMPSCOTT — Kids in town had the opportunity this week to learn a unique skill: how to be a firefighter.
The Fire Department teamed up with the Recreation Department to run its first-ever youth firefighter camp this week, where kids in sixth grade and up learned the basics of firefighting tools and trucks, first aid, ladder operations, boat safety, water rescue and how to hook up a hose to a fire hydrant.
Fire Chief Graham Archer said that Recreation Director Danielle Strauss suggested the idea when she realized she had more summer help than she needed to run the department’s regular programs, and that they were already hoping to run another camp later this summer.
“They’ve been having a great time,” Archer said of the 10 students who participated.
Lola DeSantis, 12, said that she has always wanted to join the Navy when she’s older — and has a family full of career firefighters — so attending the camp was a no-brainer.
“It seemed amazing that we could come here and do active things that firefighters do,” she said. “I’ve made friends here. I’m really glad I came.”
Campers had the opportunity to go up in the bucket of one of the department’s ladder trucks at Stanley Elementary School on Thursday, learning how to operate the hose from up to 100 feet.
Firefighter Glen Bartram showed the campers how to direct the water using the levers inside the bucket, moving the hose up and down and side to side and changing the flow from a wider “fog” spray to a narrower stream, and told them what it’s like to do so during a real fire. Bartram explained that the hose can pump between 500 and 1,000 gallons per minute.
Jaymes Carey, 13, said that he also has family in the department and grew up visiting the station. He said that at the top of the ladder, he had a perfect view of the surrounding area.
“We saw Marblehead, Swampscott and Salem, plus the water tower, the ocean and Egg Rock,” Carey said.
DeSantis said that going up on the ladder truck was her favorite part of the week.
“I love heights,” she said.
