MINNEAPOLIS — A first-of-its-kind program recruiting inner-city teens could help build up the Minneapolis Fire Department after a rash of retirements.
KSTP reported that more than 1,200 firefighters and police officers statewide are old enough to retire. This year, 40 officers and seven firefighters have retired.
“This is gonna be tough, but stay with it,” Fire Chief John Fruetel said. “We need to start earlier and basing our recruitment and meet development of growing our own firefighters and that’s what led to this.”
The department created a class specifically for seniors in hopes of sparking their interest to become firefighters.
“They wanted to take our students, which have always been a rich mix of ethnicities, and use their linguistic and cultural skills to diversify the department,” said Kari Slade, with Roosevelt High School.
The students read about procedures and then they actually do them. They learn how to take a pulse or temperature and how to stabilize someone who’s sick, according to the report.
“If we can get people to take as much education as we can, I think we’re all better off,” Paramedic Kai Hjermstad said.
The Minneapolis Fire Department paid $50,000 for the program and believes even if students don’t decide to become firefighters, they might consider becoming a paramedic, nurse or doctor.
All of the students in the program are seniors. At the end of the year-long program, they can take a test to become certified EMTs. The students also get college credit for the class.