By Louis Galvan
The Fresno Bee
Copyright 2007 McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno City College Fire Academy program on Wednesday received $12,000 worth of surplus fire protective gear for its students — who usually have to buy the equipment themselves.
The items, donated by the Fresno County Fire Protection District and Cal Fire, included coats, pants, helmets, boots and other gear used to battle wildland and structure fires, Cal Fire Chief Keith Larkin said.
“It’s our way of giving something back to the system,” said Larkin, noting many of the department’s firefighters have come through the academy.
Students are required to purchase their own safety equipment, and the cost can run about $1,500 per student, said Capt. Mike Bowman, 34, a 1993 graduate of the academy. The donation could provide an opportunity to would-be firefighters who might not otherwise be able to attend the academy, Bowman said.
“This stuff is expensive,” said Don Sutton, the academy’s assistant coordinator. “We’re talking about at least $200 for the coat and at least another $200 for the pants.”
The protective gear is a key factor to the academy, because without the proper gear, training cannot be conducted, said Sutton, a former Fresno Fire Department captain who retired in 1987 after 32 years.
The academy, on the 2900 block of East Annadale Avenue in southeast Fresno, has two training sessions, both covering 800 hours over 8 1/2 months each.
A night session, currently in progress, is scheduled to end at the end of August, Sutton said. A day session is scheduled to start on Aug. 1. The current night session has 33 students enrolled, about the average for each session, Sutton said.
Students come from all over the central San Joaquin Valley and are placed with departments throughout the state, he said.
Sutton, who joined the academy in 1992 when it was formed, said nearly 700 students have graduated from the program.