The Bowling Green Fire Department’s Training Academy is laying the groundwork for the next generation

BOWLING GREEN, KY.- The Bowling Green Fire Department’s Training Academy is laying the groundwork for the next generation of firefighters through its intensive 16-weekend program.

The academy begins with the basics — teaching fire behavior, water supply, and forcible entry — to build a strong foundation for recruits. Assistant Chief of Training Shannon Pardue said many participants arrive with little or no fire knowledge.

“They come with that heart and that desire to progress and to get better,” Pardue said.

The academy’s lessons prepare recruits for the unpredictable challenges they’ll face in real emergencies.

“The captains and the battalion chiefs are all relying on them to be able to do their jobs,” Pardue said. “It’s our job in the training division and as instructors to get them to that level.”

Each firefighter, Pardue said, starts at “ground zero,” learning step by step and building upon every skill. The sound of recruits practicing emergency calls — “Mayday, Mayday” — fills the training grounds as they apply what they’ve learned. Pardue said the most rewarding part is watching new firefighters grasp a concept for the first time.

“We want them to learn to crawl, walk and run,” she said. “This recruit academy is a lot about the crawling aspect.”