New Firefighters Power Through Weird First Year Of Training In City Of Golden Valley

Press release from the City of Golden Valley:

July 17, 2020

It’s been an interesting year for Golden Valley’s six newest firefighters. In January, they started training with the West Suburban Fire Academy (WSFA). Then due to COVID-19, all training was put on hold March 12 and eventually resumed May 7 under an online format and with a revised schedule.

Now, graduation is just around the corner for Chad LaForge, Kevin Jarta, Ed Jeffreys-Berns, Casey Johnson, Somer Kvale, and Brandon Operana.

Typically, WSFA students complete Firefighter I and II training before moving onto anything else, explains Assistant Fire Chief Bethany Brunsell. But because the Hazardous Materials Operations training is less hands-on, Firefighter I and II training was put on hold once virtual classes began in May.

For the hands-on training, the WSFA used smaller, shorter group sessions rather than one large group. Brunsell says this enabled students to receive a lot of experience.

Graduation is set for Aug 3, 2020. Immediately after that, Emergency Medical Response training begins.

More Paid, On-Call Firefighters Still Needed

Before entering the Academy, nearly all of the six recruits were introduced to the Golden Valley Fire Department (GVFD) at summer recruitment events. Operana says he got his first taste at the 2019 Recruitment EXPO.

“We put on gear, climbed the ladder truck, and did an auto extrication and a CPR training,” said Operana. “It was pretty fun and a great hands-on/day-inthe- life experience.”

LaForge suggests reaching out to the GVFD even if you’re the slightest bit interested.

“If you at all think you might be interested, just take the time and go to the recruitment opportunities and see what it is all about,” he says. “It doesn’t hurt to check it out!”

This press release was produced by the City of Golden Valley. The views expressed here are the author’s own.