Senator Merkley Sponsors Scappoose Fire STEAM Education & Workforce Development Program (Photo) - 02/05/24

Did you know that Scappoose Fire is teaching at the Scappoose High School?

Did you know that Scappoose Fire developed a dual credit (High School and Portland Community College) yearlong STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) and workforce development program? 

Well, we did! We could not have pulled it off without the support of US Senator Jeff Merkley to be included in the federal budget and funded by the US Department of Education.

Last week, Scappoose Fire finished the first of two terms in the yearlong course “Principles of Emergency Services and Emerging Technologies.” Our goal was to be able to give back to the community and give our students a leg up on the many careers in public safety, as well as aviation, engineering and more. 

The first term was all about Fire Science and public safety. Students learned about history of the fire service, government budgeting, training programs, Community Paramedic programs, Incident command, fire investigation, fire dynamics, fire extinguishers, wildland fire, fire inspection, fire prevention (students had to teach fire safety to the students at the elementary school), marine firefighting, public information officers, rope rescue, radio communications, swift-water rescue and much more. We had special guest lecturers from Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area - U.S. Forest Service Portland Fire & Rescue, and Oregon State Fire Marshal.

The first term students earned three (3) college credits.

The second term starts this month and will be all about aviation and un-crewed aircraft (also known as Drones). This term will be worth four (4) college credits and will finish with the students being able to sit for their FAA Part 107 Pilot license test, complete the NIST robotics testing methods course and gain valuable experience with a job interview assisted by several local public safety officials.

This program would not have happened without the support from all our staff (Volunteers and Career), Betsy Johnson, Scappoose Professional Firefighters, and Senator Jeff Merkley believing in our vision!

Stay tuned for more information and enjoy the photos from the first term.

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