NAMPA, Idaho — Middle school students from the Nampa School District got a hands-on look at the work of firefighters during Nampa's Youth Academy.
Fire Day covered everything from physical training to realistic emergency scenarios.
Students used tools to pry open a door, were lowered from the third floor of the training tower and learned how to advance a charged hose line.
Watch: Nampa middle schoolers train as firefighters for a day
Captain Jeff Bowden led students through an exercise that combined an obstacle course, a simulated fire knockdown and a search of the second floor of a building for victims.
"I like the one where we went in the house and found the people," eighth grader June Jackson said.
Other activities challenged students to confront personal fears.
Ava Heaton joined several classmates who were initially afraid to step into an aerial platform.
"That was really fun because I’m afraid of heights and I kind of, like, face my fears," Heaton said.
School Resource Officer Ben Branham started the Youth Academy three years ago with nine students.
It has since grown to include 32 middle school students and 32 high school students this year.
Applications for next year's Nampa Youth Academy are expected to open between February and March.
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