A fire raged in a four-story structure in Whitewater on Saturday, and the brave men and women extinguishing it were five high school students.
The students — all from Central High School and Palisade High School — are taking a yearlong class that trains them to earn an early firefighting certificate. They meet nearly every day to learn the nuances of the profession.
They gathered this past weekend at the Law Enforcement Training Center, 3340 Whitewater Hill Road, and were thrown into actual firefighting for the first time.
“This is a joint effort between School District 51 and local fire departments. We’re also working with Colorado Mesa University to prepare kids who may want to get a certificate in fire science,” said Joe White, deputy chief with the Clifton Fire Protection District.