I recently had the opportunity to take part in the Junior Firefighter Program run by Whistler Fire Rescue Service, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who made it possible.
The program was incredibly well-organized, hands-on, and immersive. We weren’t just sitting in classrooms—we were out in the field, learning by doing and working together to take on real challenges. The training scenarios were thoughtfully planned and kept us fully engaged from start to finish: putting out dumpster fires; forced entry through doorways; and advancing hose lines to an interior structure fire attack.
What stood out most was the leadership. Captains Darcy, Pat, and Dave were exceptional mentors who led by example and treated us with genuine trust and respect. A special thank you also goes to firefighter Tom, who played a major role behind the scenes, especially with filming and supporting the program in
countless ways.
I’m also grateful to the entire team of firefighters who gave their time to guide, teach, and support us throughout the week. Their dedication made a huge impact on all of us.
Finally, thank you to Whistler Fire Rescue Service, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Whistler paid-on-call firefighters, and Fresh St. Market for supporting this program. It’s clear this was a true community effort—and one that made a lasting impression on me.
