Some of Renfrew County’s aspiring firefighters now have some invaluable insight into the team effort that goes into keeping the Ottawa Valley safe.
The Bonnechere Valley Fire Department’s junior firefighter cadets recently spent their evening training session sitting in with Renfrew and Arnprior OPP Constable Brianna Babin, who not only explained community safety from the police’s perspective but also laid out how the OPP work together with the many local fire departments in the region to respond to calls for help.
Babin says that establishing a good relationship with other first responders is especially important in our smaller communities, where fire departments are often run by volunteers.
The Junior Firefighter Program has been teaching interested youth ages 15-18 years old the fundamentals and skills of firefighting, important emergency response techniques like first aid, and providing cadets with one-on-one mentorship that helps position them to take on a career in firefighting after completing the course.
Babin says she’s been following the program’s rapid success since it was first created in March 2024, pointing out how proud she is of her brother and volunteer firefighter, Brendan Rousselle, to have been part of creating a program that has been a boon to engaging young residents in Cobden and the surrounding area.
Best of all, the hard work put into the program has already begun to pay off, to the benefit of communities across the county.
The Bonnechere Valley Fire Department’s Junior Firefighter Program is free for local youth to take part in and is currently looking to bring another 10 cadets in for training.
Babin hopes the program can continue to gain traction in the community, as it targets an age group that is usually the hardest for first responders to engage with while also offering candidates with an incredible opportunity for continuing education that can go directly onto their school applications and resumes.
(written by Kasey Egan)
