CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — A Pickaway Township Fire Department Explorer completed a weeklong statewide academy Saturday that trains Ohio teenagers in the fundamentals of firefighting and emergency medical service.
Lance Tackett, a member of the department’s Explorer Post 200, graduated from the Ohio Youth Fire & EMS Training Academy at Hocking College in Nelsonville, the fire department said in a Facebook post.
The academy, held on the Hocking College campus, has trained teenagers in fire and EMS basics since 2004, drawing students age 14 to 18 from across Ohio and beyond for a week of hands-on instruction. The program culminates with its oldest students sitting for Ohio volunteer firefighter certification.
Tackett is a member of Pickaway Township Fire Department’s Explorer Post 200, a program open to those age 14 to 21 who are interested in a fire service or EMS career. Explorers train alongside department members, learning the basics of firefighting and emergency response, and the department has recruited through presentations at area schools.
Lt. Clark, who oversees the Explorer post, said in the department’s post that Tackett worked hard through the academy’s demanding schedule and long hours despite what Clark described as a difficult year for the teenager, calling him “extremely proud of this young man” for his dedication.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pickaway Township Fire Department.
