Tifton teens train to become firefighters at city’s Junior Fire Academy

Published 4:19 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

TIFTON — A group of local youths learned how to fight off a different kind of heat this past week at the Tifton Fire Department.

The city’s firefighters taught a handful of teens the ropes of firefighting in their Junior Fire Academy, a weeklong training program running its participants through the typical routines and duties of their local fire department.

Intended for youths aged 13 to 16, the program ran every day from July 21 to 25, each day focusing on a different range of topics, exercises, and activities to showcase the skills and knowledge the students would need to join the fire brigade.

Among the lessons the teens taking part in the academy engaged with were hands-on experience with fire extinguishers, examples of fire behavior and the proper methods of firefighting, the opportunity to receive CPR certification, getting a feel for daily routine at the firehouse, and a surprise visit from the Air Evac Lifeteam, in which the academy students learned about airlifting and emergency medical procedures and were given a tour of the team’s helicopter.

Organizers of the academy also broke up their classes and training with a variety of activities, games, and competitions to ensure the program was more enjoyable, which included a water fight, hose bowling, and a competition to make the best fire hydrant sculpture, which the community was offered the chance to vote on.

Samantha Diaz, coordinator for the city fire department, reported that, following their graduation from the academy, interested students would have the opportunity to train further with the department in a few years as part of the work-based learning program at Tift County High School.

The program, meant for high school juniors and seniors, would allow them to continue learning how to become a firefighter, with the chance to join the team straight out of high school, provided they had turned 18 and earned their certification.