Clifton W.’s school day looks a little different than most.
When he arrives at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation, Clifton’s first class isn’t about a book or in a lecture. Instead, he heads to the weight room, where he focuses on strength, agility, and fitness exercises designed to prepare him for a career in firefighting.
Clifton and his classmates are among the first students at Roosevelt who will be certified firefighters and EMTs when they cross the graduation stage, with a guaranteed job offer from Dallas Fire Rescue.
A sophomore, Clifton said the program is life-changing.
“It’s an opportunity to be stable right out of high school and do something with your life,” he said.
He said he joined the program as a way to motivate himself to think about the future.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change my life and see what I can do. I saw the opportunity and took it,” he said. “I can see myself having a career as a firefighter.”
A P-TECH program, students are required to submit an application and meet a GPA requirement. Once accepted, they take classes in fire science and emergency medical service. In addition, students get hands-on opportunities to learn with medical training mannequins, raising and lowering ladders, and using tools to save people from burning buildings.
They are also issued firefighter uniforms and get the chance to visit fire stations around the city, where they train with DFR recruits.
For sophomore Sidney N., becoming a firefighter is a dream come true.
“I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter and save lives,” he said.
It is that commitment to service that keeps him motivated when classes or workouts get hard.
“I remember there is someone out there risking their lives doing what I want to do, so I can push harder,” he said.
Made possible by a partnership with Dallas College, the class is led by James Hunter, a lieutenant and instructor from the college.
Hunter, who served in DFR, said this is his way of giving back.
“It’s rewarding being able to raise up the future of the fire department,” Hunter said. “It’s about feeding the community – we talk about that a lot.”
Every week, Hunter chooses a captain and a co-captain, who are the first point of contact for the rest of the class.
He said this gives the students equal opportunity to gain leadership experience, but since it also echoes the hierarchy of a firehouse, it gives students a look into how their day-to-day will be when they are on the job.
“We’re working together as a real crew would,” Clifton said. “I can see that forming here, building a crew and team. In order for us to work together, we have to rely on each other. We’re always supportive of each other.”
To learn more about the firefighter program and how students can launch their legacies, attend Discover Dallas ISD on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Automobile Building in Fair Park.
