Two Colleton County middle school students spent the day as firefighters as part of the Colleton School System Job Shadowing Program. Seventh graders Storm Hadwin of Ruffin Middle School and Victoria Dalton of Colleton Middle School rode for ½ shift with Fire-Rescue personnel. Hadwin specifically requested to ride with the Firefighters at Station # 19 in the Airport Industrial Park, north of Walterboro. He arrived early in the shift to assist the Firefighter’s in checking the equipment and apparatus. He learned about station duties, the different types of apparatus and the components of each unit and how they are used on an emergency scene. In the afternoon, he was able to participate in the Firefighter’s training exercises which included drafting water from a static water source at the lake in Lakeshore subdivision. Hadwin had the opportunity to operate the fire pump and assisted in connecting the drafting hoses. Following the drafting exercise, the crew went to Tommie’s Auto and Diesel’s salvage yard to practice cutting on junk cars. Hadwin used several pieces of equipment including a battery operated reciprocating saw under the direct supervision of several firefighters. He dressed out in some oversized protective gear just like his adult counterparts. He did get to run one emergency response to a woods fire.

On Thursday, Victoria (Tory) Dalton, rode with her father, “A” Shift Battalion Chief Brent Dalton, on Battalion 1. She assisted in checking the Battalion’s ALS First Response Unit and observed the many administrative duties required of that position. She had the opportunity to run several emergency responses including an air medical evacuation of a critical medical patient.