Blacksburg Firefighter Eddie Bishop and Cherokee Technology Center instructor Neely Swofford demonstrate how to fill firefighter air packs for students in Swofford's protective services class. Students in Neely Swofford’s protective services classes at the Cherokee Technology Center have long been accustomed to getting her input and the benefit of her advice.

Starting Monday, however, students in her 11th grade class can technically consider her a classmate.

This semester, for the first time ever, a group of Swofford’s students have the opportunity to take a 90.5-hour class and, upon successful completion, earn their OSHA Firefighter certification. While they’ll have to be 18 years old to put their certification to use, the certification would allow them to work with practically any fire department in South Carolina.

Swofford, who already is certified in numerous areas, is going through the course with her students so she, too, can become a certified firefighter.

Officially designated the 1152 OSHA Firefighter Course, it typically is taught at the South Carolina Fire Academy. In this case, two certified Fire Academy instructors, Grassy Pond Fire Chief Nathan “Junior” Ellis and Corinth Fire Department Deputy Chief Dwight Easler, will be teaching the course to Swofford’s students at the local school.

Ellis said the local course will be no different than what’s taught at the academy and he rattled off a dedicated curriculum that will lead students to their final examination at the South Carolina Fire Academy in May.

As far as anyone could tell, Cherokee Technology Center is only the second technology school in South Carolina to offer the OSHA Firefighter course.

The protective services classwork at Cherokee Technology Center covers many areas, from police procedures to emergency communications. Students in the 10th grade, for instance, start with an introduction to criminal justice. As they continue through the program, they’re introduced to things like first response procedures and disaster response. Students in the 12th grade program can earn their emergency dispatch certification.

The popularity of the program has continued to grow, Swofford said.

A total of 28 students, plus Swofford, will be going through the 1152 OSHA Course, though only 19 plus Swofford have officially signed on to take their examinations at the Fire Academy in May.

Prior to the class, which officially starts Monday, students already have been getting hands-on experience

with firefighter gear.

Firefighters from Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department, Grassy Pond, Antioch and CKC, for instance, have been visiting the school in recent weeks to instruct students about equipment.

Blacksburg firefighters Eddie Bishop and Cecil Bale recently brought their department’s Squad truck to the school to instruct students on the airpacks that firefighters use on the job and how to fill them. During a safety-minded demonstration, Bishop had Swofford re-fill an air tank with more than 2,000 pounds per square inch of pressure.

It’s a skill the students will have to know when they’re tested at the academy, Bishop said.

“I hope this definitely is a learning experience for them,” Swofford said. “My hopes in teaching this course is that they continue in the field of emergency services, that this sparks their interest in fire service, first response or any type of law enforcement.”

Swofford said she also hopes the programs will encourage the students to further their education in any of these fields upon graduation.

“It could be a stepping stone to a lot of different areas,” agreed Ellis. “In the long run, it will benefit the entire county.”

While firefighting has long been a male-dominated profession, about half of the students in Swofford’s class are female. Regardless of gender, Swofford believes the 1152 OSHA Course will be challenging for everyone.

After all the hours of course work are wrapped up, Swofford and her students plan to go to Rock Hill on May 1 to participate in a live practice burn. On May 8, the participating students will head to the South Carolina Fire Academy for their official live burn test.