A number of students and alumni from Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) recently received FFT2 Basic Wildland Firefighter training.
“I’m incredibly proud of my students. Completing the training requires routinely passing mentally taxing scenarios while also being physically tired,” said OTC Fish and Wildlife instructor, Casey Corbett.
Three current students and several alumni participated in the training that took place over four days last December at General Coffee State Park in Nichols, Georgia.
Students Emma Gainous, Emily Roberts and Ed Carbonaro began their training with an intense pack test that required them to walk two miles in 35 minutes while carrying 25 pounds.
Carbonaro, an army veteran, opted to take the arduous pack test that required walking three miles in 45 minutes while carrying 45 pounds.
The training also included learning how to:
- Check weather
- Deploy fire shelters
- Construct a fire line
- Use various types of water pumps
- Put out a wildfire
- Conduct a prescribed burn
“Having this certification is required by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for anyone who wishes to help with a prescribed burn and will increase our student’s future employment opportunities,” said Corbett.
OTC alum Mike Moore (2019), a Wildlife Technician at the Canoochee Sandhills and Burn Boss of DNR’s Southeast Burn Team, served as one of the training leaders for the certification.
OTC alum Caleb Mills (2017) and Caleb Morgan (2020) completed their certification during the training as well.
To learn more about the Fish & Wildlife Management program at Ogeechee Tech, click here.