Five Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) alumni graduated from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s (FCFRD) Basic Training last weekend. While FCPS students, the five grads participated in the High School Firefighter Program (HSFF), a unique partnership between FCPS and FCFRD, that is a Chantilly Academy class. 

The five FCFRD Basic Training graduates are Ben Gaynor and Nathan Leite (Hayfield Secondary School), Jarod Rambo (West Springfield High School), Ryan Slanina (Robinson Secondary School), and Christopher Wolf (Chantilly High School).
The program, open to high school seniors, is currently in its fourth year. It is designed to provide an engaging learning experience for students who want to explore a future career in the fire service. With a focus on skill development, students are taught to perform safely and effectively as firefighters while learning how to fight live fires, address hazardous material incidents, conduct search and rescue operations, and perform vehicle extractions. At the end of the school year the students, after written and practical testing, can become certified as a Firefighter, Level I and II.  

The five alumni were part of Recruit Class 146 of 53 individuals on Friday, May 8, four weeks ahead of schedule. This historic, early graduation came in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.