Courtesy Photo | Sea Cadets from the TN-BB43 division in Millington take part in fire fighting training...... read more read more
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MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) – Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South Fire & Emergency Services and Commander, Navy Recruiting Command First Class Petty Officer Association (CNRC FCPOA) hosted an event for sea cadets at their fire training facility in Millington, on Nov. 6. At the event, firefighters taught safety instructions to the sea cadets and supervised them while they performed several exercises, such as live fire extinguisher training, firehose spraying and a house evacuation drill complete with a smoke machine.
The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) is an organization sponsored by the Navy to teach individuals about U.S. naval operations and training, sea-going military services, community service, teamwork and discipline. It consists of two programs – one for cadets ages 10 through 13 and the senior program for cadets ages 13 through 18.
“The purpose of this event was to let the sea cadets come and experience the day in the life of a firefighter,” said Lt. Ronald Richardson Jr., lead firefighter of NSA Mid-South Fire & Emergency Services in Millington. “We set up different stations for hands on and also had a station tour for the little cadets as well. This benefits our fire department by reinforcing our community relations. It is real good for our fire prevention program as well for us to work with the public teaching fire safety to the kids. I think that demonstrating what our job entails gives the kids a newfound respect for our profession. It helps them to be better aware of all the dangers of fire and to be better prepared if they do encounter it. It also gives them a snapshot of our job as well to see if they might want to pursue a career in firefighting.”
For Lt. j.g. Henry Smith, commander of TN-BB43 division of the USNSCC in Millington, the event was part of their training module that teaches cadets about shipboard battle stations and damage control, but it was also an opportunity for much more.
“By having a presence there, Navy recruiting provides the crucial link between how these tasks/jobs translate to Navy life,” Smith said. “The cadets get realistic training, and it opens their eyes to the importance of safety [and] prevention and also gives them tools to be more calm [and] proactive during an emergency.”
The importance of Navy recruiting being at such outreach events cannot be overstated. Sonar Technician (Surface) Petty Officer 1st Class Shea Fehringer, who is in charge of community relations for CNRC FCPOA, saw the benefits firsthand, which made the legwork she put in all the more worth it.
“I was so excited to head up this event,” Fehringer said. “Having already been working with the sea cadets, I reached out to the NSA Mid-South Firefighting department to see if we could organize hands on training for the cadets. I worked with ENS Noble and Fire Chief Richardson to organize the event, which included scheduling the stations of that day, assisting the cadets in gaining access to base, taking photos of the event and ensuring strong communication between Sea Cadet leadership and NSA Mid-South firefighters. It is one of the admiral’s priorities and helps maintain the sea cadets’ interest in joining the Navy. It also helps bring Sailors and prospective Sailors together in a fun learning environment.”
Fehringer continued speaking about her sea cadet experience with enthusiasm.
“Being able to watch the kids go from scared and thinking they can’t do one of the events, to doing it and realizing they could do it was great,” Fehringer said in regard to what she considered to be the event’s highlight. “Overcoming the fear of thinking you can’t do something is empowering and shows you that limits are arbitrary.”
The training for the sea cadets was very beneficial and had something to offer everyone who participated. After the event, Richardson Jr. stated the NSA Mid-South Fire Department is looking forward to similar events in the future, but the positive impact of the event had a ripple effect that continued long after the event was over.
“As commanding officer of TN-BB43, I really want to highlight the great job that the NSA Mid-South Fire & Emergency Services did in preparing and executing this training,” said Smith. “I have had parents calling me all week expressing their appreciation for the training and how much their cadets enjoyed it. I encourage our Millington naval community to embrace these young people. Each one is excited about the unit and love coming to our drill weekends because of partnership activities like these.”
With ongoing partnerships and exciting opportunities to show America’s youth what the Navy has to offer, the Navy’s recruiting efforts will continue to educate people and positively change lives while growing the world’s greatest naval force.
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions and 26 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).
| Date Taken: | 11.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2021 11:19 |
| Story ID: | 410000 |
| Location: | MILLINGTON, TN, US |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Sea Cadets Live a Day in the Life of a Firefighter, by Jordan Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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