4 SIMI VALLEY CADETS GET TASTE OF FIREFIGHTING.Byline: Andrea Andrea ghost returns to the Spanish court to learn of the events that followed his death. [Br. Drama: The Spanish Tragedy in Magill II, 990] See : Ghost Cavanaugh Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - While many of their classmates Classmates can refer to either:
``I haven't slept in in over a month,'' said Kevin Brown The name Kevin Brown can refer to several different people, including the following:
But Brown, along with Jenna Greenhouse, 17, Jonathan Cowan, 17, and Jason Jamal, 18, hope their sacrifice soon will pay off. All four were certified See certification. as wildland firefighters April 4 after spending four weekends at a camp operated by the U.S. Forest Service in Little Tujunga Canyon. They hope to be hired as seasonal firefighters next year or to get hired by a county or city fire department. ``It's the best job,'' Greenhouse said. ``You get paid to sleep. But it would be a cool rush to wake up in the middle of the night and go to a fire.'' All four already have experience riding on a firetruck. They are among about 15 teens in Simi Valley and Moorpark who work as cadets for the Ventura County Fire Department Not to be confused with Ventura Fire Department. The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. , said Jeremy Bower, a firefighter who coordinates the program. As cadets, the teens spend at least 10 hours per week in the firehouse where they are assigned as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. , riding along on fire and medical calls and providing support to firefighters. ``You feel like a firefighter,'' Jamal said. ``You do almost everything they do.'' The teens are taking the right steps to get hired as firefighters, Bower said. Several of the teens who attended the wildland fire camp already have been hired as seasonal firefighters, and a former Simi Valley cadet has been hired by the department, he said. For Cowan, the wildland fire training and his service as a cadet has brought him a level of maturity he may not have achieved otherwise, he said. ``I do everything around my house now - I cook, I clean,'' he said. ``I think things through now. Every action has a consequence.'' About 30 teens are accepted each year for the cadet program, Bower said. Applicants must be high school seniors with good attendance records, a minimum 2.5 grade-point average, and complete the application and interview process. For more information, call Bower at (805) 578-2050. Andrea Cavanaugh, (805) 583-7602 andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ventura County Fire Department cadets, from left, Jenna Greenhouse, Jason Jamal, Jonathan Cowan and Kevin Brown gather at Simi Valley Station 41. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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