Fire Up Your Future highlights a groundbreaking approach to recruiting firefighters through high school training. Cary Thompson, veteran instructor at William D. Ford Technical Career Center, argues that the fire service recruitment crisis demands solutions that begin in adolescence. The program enrolls students in Firefighter I & II with NFPA 1001 alignment, adds hazmat operations and EMT training, and, through an articulation agreement with Wayne County Community College Downriver, offers about 30 college credits before graduation. Students train on real apparatus, perform drills, and graduate with ready-to-work credentials, leadership skills, and proven work ethic. The initiative expands access, attracting diverse applicants and building community ties by exposing young people to firefighting early. Thompson also notes growth plans: drone operations (FAA 107), incident-mapping modules, and expanding career pathways. While costly, the program can reduce later training expenses and fill departments with homegrown, mission-driven firefighters who share communities’ values. For More Information https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/centers/firefighter-safety-and-health.html
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