Firefighters RESCUE Youth

 

by: Josh Marks

 

 

The Long Beach Fire Department is participating in a mentoring program called the RESCUE Youth Program.  

 

Firefighters work with children, ages 12 to 14, who are exhibiting at-risk behaviors but are not yet involved in criminal activities.  Since it’s inception more than eleven years ago, 600 at-risk kids have benefited from the program. 

 

“Firefighters are called upon to rescue people in emergency situations and RESCUE, the program, intervenes in the lives of young people at the earliest signs of trouble by providing positive role models and alternatives to at-risk behavior,” said Wayne Chaney, Long Beach Fire Department Public Information Officer.

 

RESCUE was started by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and became so successful that it expanded to Long Beach and Montebello.  The format is one-on-one mentoring a minimum of two hours a week, with flexible meeting times.

 

Long Beach Unified School District counselors refer students to District Attorney staff; interviews are conducted; and each student is matched with a firefighter who volunteers to mentor the student at a fire station near the student’s home.

 

Once at the station, academic and life skills are taught in order to foster a set of values that are often lacking in their lives.  Besides promoting personal responsibility and self-esteem, they are taught earthquake preparedness, fire prevention, fire safety, first aid and CPR and given demonstrations on equipment used in emergencies.

 

Children who behave and show improvement are rewarded with field trips.  “They earn the opportunity to go out on ride along emergency responses with the fire department,” said Chaney, adding “(they) also go deep sea fishing, freshwater fishing and we’ve gone on field trips to Universal Studios and the Rose Bowl for college football games.”   

 

Many success stories have arisen from the RESCUE Youth Program.  Some former students have even gone on to become firefighters.  According to Chaney, “(the) whole idea behind the program is to change these individuals lives to show them they can reach these goals.”