Hands on Firefighting with Lehi’s Internship Program

NORTHLAKE PARK, LEHI—Lehi City Firefighter Tee Hover gave the order and Lehi Firefighter Interns Zac Lucero and Zack Erickson responded by connecting hose and wrench onto the fire hydrant. The clinking and clanking of metal on metal echoed throughout Northlake Park on Saturday afternoon, May 28, 2016. With a few twists, Lucero released hundreds of gallons of pressurized water from the hydrant back to the retention pond. A second order from Hover prompted the interns to shut off the water. Training didn’t end with the water shutoff, instead, Hover, who has been a Lehi firefighter a 10-years, promptly reviewed the result with the interns.

10-year Lehi Firefighter Tee Hover (right) reviews the results and details of the training scenario with Intern Zac Lucero. Photo: Cavett Ishihara

Hover explained that the training process is not about speed. Instead, training is about accuracy. “We flush the hydrant to make sure we have clean water to send into our engine,” said Hover.  Because Lehi fire hydrants use secondary water, debris in the water can create risk in the firefighting process. “The on-duty crew takes time to train with the new interns,” he said. “We train scenarios that we may experience while on the job.” This training scenario included correction and attention to details required to maintain safety standards for both firefighter and equipment.

Captain of the Lehi City Fire Department Robert Stanley explained that Lehi’s internship program allows his team to observe and evaluate those looking to enter into the firefighting career. “Interns are able to work on their skillsets, and we are able to assess their skills and work ethic. It’s been a really good relationship for us. We’ve even been able to hire a few interns.” On average, an intern should anticipate working a 24-hour shift, three to four times a month. For more information about the Lehi City fire fighter internship program requirements, visit https://www.lehi-ut.gov/departments/fire/intern-program/.