OBERON High School students took part when the NSW Rural Fire Service Chifley/Lithgow Team held its annual Secondary School Cadet Program Championship and Graduation Day last week.
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The program provides practical life skills, leadership, teamwork and initiative skills as well as community responsibility.
Superintendent Greg Sim said that all students who participated should be proud of their efforts and achievement.
“This year we had four schools participate in the cadet program, with 32 students graduating after successfully completing the 10-week program,” Superintendent Sim said.
“The Secondary School Cadet Program provides students with more than an introduction into basic firefighting.
“The program provides practical life skills, develops leadership, teamwork and initiative skills, as well as fostering qualities of community responsibility and service.”
The championship was held at Kremer Park, Portland and the graduation was hosted by Portland Central School.
All four schools participated in the events and graduated.
“The cadets performed extremely well, undertaking tasks involving hose drills, relay pumping, using knapsacks and even buckets in simulated firefighting activities,” Superintendent Sim said.
“There were six teams in total participating in the championship, with each team timed and/or measured in their results for every event.
“The team who scored the most points overall was declared the winner on the day.”
The winning team for 2016 was the Scots Black Team from The Scots School, Bathurst, edging out Oberon Pixies from Oberon High in second place.
Portland Central School finished in third place.
Superintendent Sim said all the teams performed extremely well and displayed good physical and problem-solving skills and, most of all, teamwork.
The graduating students were from Carenne School, Bathurst, Oberon High, Portland Central and The Scots School, Bathurst.
Each graduating cadet was presented with a certificate of attendance for completing the program.
“The success of the Secondary School Cadet Program, the championship and the graduation of the cadets is only possible with the great support, time and effort of our volunteers and the schools involved,” Superintendent Sim said.
“Some cadets have already joined their local Rural Fire Brigade and it is hoped that more of the cadets will take advantage of this introduction to the NSW RFS and become future members of their nearest Rural Fire Brigade.
“They have done themselves, and their school, proud.”
The Secondary School Cadet Program has been running since 2005 in the Chifley/Lithgow Team area and will commence again in 2017.
