KINGWOOD — The Preston County Fireman’s Association is offering scholarships to teens 14-17 years old to attend the State Junior Firefighter Camp.
Association President Craig Barlow and Treasurer Chad Shade said Preston County is struggling to recruit volunteers.
“It was in hopes of piquing their interest in the volunteer fire service and maybe recruiting them when they come of age,” Barlow gave as the reason the association started sponsoring campers.
“Maybe, if they don’t become volunteer firefighters, they could become an EMT or a police officer,” Shade said.
To apply, teens must submit an essay by March 19 on why they are interested in joining the fire service. If selected for the camp, it will be free. Send essays to P.O. Box 251, Kingwood, WV 26537. Call 304-435-9683 for more information.
Autumn Schnopp, 17, a Preston High School junior, is the daughter of Tunnelton Volunteer Fire Department chief, Franklin Schnopp, and his wife, Jamie, and the granddaughter of volunteer firefighters. She has attended camp for three years.
She went “mainly to get the experience and to see if firefighting is something I’d like to pursue,” Autumn said. She decided it was and recently completed Firefighter 1 training.
At camp, “We did everything from doing structure fires to helicopter burns. We did an EMT day, where we put people on a stretcher and used webbing to tie them down. Then we did mass casualty days, which is absolutely chaotic,” Autumn said.
“Basically they would have the helicopter on fire and a certain team would put it out, then you had the search-and-rescue team that would go find them all on the helicopter, then we’d go to the airplane, find them all on the airplane.”
Her favorite was the swift water rescue team exercise in the pool.
Her brother, Nate Schnopp, 15, a PHS freshman, attended camp for the first time in 2019. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said.
Cole S. Spear, another Preston County camper, said the experience was amazing.
“You really get a little bit of everything and have lots of fun doing it,” he said. “The only part better than the training is the many friends I made along the way, and I am still in contact with most of these people today.”
Barlow and Shade said campers get a taste of the camaraderie of firefighters at camp.
“When you join the fire service, it’s another family,” Shade said.
That’s one reason generations of some families join the service, Barlow said. But, “then life happens.” Work and family pull at the members, while the state requires an increasing amount of training that is time-consuming.
But, “you’ll never get the kind of gratitude like you get after you’ve helped someone’s family,” Barlow said. “My message to the kids is, ‘Give it a try.’ ”
While the association will award four scholarships this year, some Preston fire departments will also be awarding them.
“Definitely go for it, only because it’s gaining a new experience. There’s nothing to lose,” Autumn Schnopp said.
The camp is June 27-July 2 at WVU Jackson’s Mill, under the direction of the WVU Extension Service.
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