Residents learn from firefighters at Citizens Academy

Fern Prairie — Seven area residents attended the East County Fire & Rescue Citizens Basic Fire Academy on March 17 at the Fern Prairie Fire Station, north of Camas. In training sessions they learned how fire districts serve Clark County’s unincorporated areas, performed emergency medical care and used extrication tools to tear a car apart. Participants also donned turnouts (fire-resistive coats and pants) and extinguished training fires in the cab of an old truck. Academy participants were Scott Abels, Jim and Diane Case, Martha Martin, Mike Milani, Sheila Plato and Faren Ramos. All seven plan to attend the April 28 Citizens Advanced Fire Academy. East County firefighters who helped with the training were Arthur Bonenfant, Reece Bonenfant, Nathan Brimlow, Mike Carnes, Brad Delano, Alex Gray, Matt Hazlett, Paula Knapp and Zach Vetter. Camas firefighters were Dale McKenzie and Greg Weisser.