- Video shows Deputy Chief of Training, Joe Smith, share a common issue fire departments across America are facing.
- This week, the Jackson Fire Department added three new recruits to the team.
- WATCH to see me find out what training is like, firsthand.
"We are well on our way to get properly staffed, but we could always use more people," says Joe Smith, Deputy Chief of Training at the Jackson Fire Department. According to Smith, recruitment and retention is down nationwide. However, this week, the Jackson Fire Department is adding three new recruits to the team.
"The people that we're hiring currently, it's going to, approximately, bring out staffing up to what it was in 2010," says Smith. The department now has 33 people total. Smith explains, "We want about 15-20 people on a structure fire, because there's so many tasks that need to be completed at one time."
One of those new recruits is Gunner Cota, a soon-to-be third-generation firefighter. When asked what training has been like for Cota, he says, "It's been awesome. We've got a lot of great leaders here, and they're teaching us all their tricks and tips. It's pretty grueling, but it's a lot of fun and we're learning a lot."
I wanted to see what training was like myself, WATCH the story to find out what I learned and how it went.
WATCH: Trying on the gear for the first time
Smith says the key to a quick response time is getting your gear on in less than a minute. Let's just say, it took me a bit longer.
WATCH: Trying the "jaws of life" on a car with Jackson firefighters
Though I didn't make the best firefighter, Smith says, "Our doors are always open. Talk to me. Talk to your local fire department. We'll put you on the right path."
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