Stop, Drop, This is How We Roll program at RDHS

By Michael Bennett Local Journalism Initiative

The Ridgetown Independent

There were no graduation gowns or diplomas, just some flashing red lights and a few blasts from a fire truck siren to mark the final day for a unique class at Ridgetown District High School on a recent Thursday morning.

Students in RDHS’s Grade 10 Civics & Careers class participated in a pilot program with Chatham-Kent Fire & Rescue aimed at introducing firefighting and first responders as a possible career choice – including opportunities to serve as a volunteer firefighter in Ridgetown.

The CKFR’s Stop, Drop ... This Is How We Roll program brought full-time and volunteer firefighters, police and paramedics to RDHS every Thursday from the first of March until early June.

“It’s a career exploration program we thought would be of a lot of benefits for the high school in promoting safety but also tied into careers,” said Whitney Burk, public education officer for the CKFR.

The program, conducted by Burk, said Ashley Naclerio, executive assistant to chief Chris Case, brought personnel from all facets of the fire department into the school, including full-time and volunteer firefighters, training and education officers and inspectors to provide hands-on demonstrations of their roles.

Along with the hands-on approach, Burk said the program is also intended to spark interest in the students considering a future career as a first responder, even on a volunteer basis.

Burk said volunteer firefighters all have full-time jobs, including many who are first responders as police officers or EMS paramedics.

“We have over 350 volunteer firefighters in our community, and what makes you become a volunteer is normally because of somebody you know or someone in your family is a volunteer,” Burk said.

“Normally, we don’t get a lot of people who become

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“Burk said the CKFR is trying to diversify the fire department by involving more females and cultures in both the career and volunteer forces.

She said there are currently two full-time females and about 10 volunteer firefighters in the CKFR.

One female student in the RDHS class said she was interested in becoming a first responder as a result of this program.

“From this experience, I can say I would consider becoming a volunteer firefighter,” said Kaylynn Ferron, a Civics & Careers class student. “I’ve grown up around a lot of family and people (who are volunteers). I’m used to what they have to go through.”

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