A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

Jacob Eakes, 11, wears firefighter turnout gear and Anthony Reeves puts a helmet on his head during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshall Academy at the Emergency Operations Center on Thursday.

Tristan Edwards, 10, carries a hose around an obstacle course during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

Tristan Edwards and Trent Tyson carry hoses through an obstacle course during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshall Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6.

Jacob Cleaton, 9, is helped into firefighter turnout gear by EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

A Greenville firefighter places a firefighter helmet on Tristan Edwards', 10, head during a Greenville Fire-Rescue's Junior Fire Marshal Academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Paramedic Amber McLawhorn zips up a turnout gear jacket on Aliison Russell, 11, during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

A Greenville firefighter places a helmet on Maggie Strickland's, 12, head during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Ava Kemp, 11, carries a hose on top of her head as she quickly walks through an obstacle course during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Children cheer for their peers as they complete an obstacle course in full turnout gear during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center on Thursday.

EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck, right, shows Sawyer Corley, 13, how to spray a contained fire with a water cannister during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck, right, shows Sawyer Corley, 13, how to spray a contained fire with a water canister during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

Greenville firefighter Anthony Reeves watches as Sawyer Corley, 13, and Sam Pittman, 11, practice extinguishing a controlled fire with water cannisters during Greenville Fire-Rescue's Junior Fire Marshal Academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Jacob Eakes, 11, wears firefighter turnout gear and Anthony Reeves puts a helmet on his head during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshall Academy at the Emergency Operations Center on Thursday.

Tristan Edwards, 10, carries a hose around an obstacle course during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

Tristan Edwards and Trent Tyson carry hoses through an obstacle course during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshall Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6.

Jacob Cleaton, 9, is helped into firefighter turnout gear by EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

A Greenville firefighter places a firefighter helmet on Tristan Edwards', 10, head during a Greenville Fire-Rescue's Junior Fire Marshal Academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Paramedic Amber McLawhorn zips up a turnout gear jacket on Aliison Russell, 11, during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

A Greenville firefighter places a helmet on Maggie Strickland's, 12, head during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Ava Kemp, 11, carries a hose on top of her head as she quickly walks through an obstacle course during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Children cheer for their peers as they complete an obstacle course in full turnout gear during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center on Thursday.

EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck, right, shows Sawyer Corley, 13, how to spray a contained fire with a water cannister during a junior fire marshal academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

EMS Specialist Taylor Roebuck, right, shows Sawyer Corley, 13, how to spray a contained fire with a water canister during the Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday.

Greenville firefighter Anthony Reeves watches as Sawyer Corley, 13, and Sam Pittman, 11, practice extinguishing a controlled fire with water cannisters during Greenville Fire-Rescue's Junior Fire Marshal Academy exercise at the Emergency Operations Center behind Greenville Fire-Rescue Station 6 on Thursday, July 21.

Swinging a 10-pound sledgehammer after carrying a hose while wearing a firefighter’s turnout gear isn’t for the faint of heart.

More than two dozen Greenville children on Thursday proved they were up for the challenge.

Participants in this year’s Greenville Fire-Rescue Junior Fire Marshal Academy tackled these challenges and others during the free, week-long event held at the emergency operations center training grounds behind Station 6, East 10th Street.

Participants learned how to use a fire extinguisher, perform hands-only CPR and other first aid. They also learned about water and pool safety.

Twenty-six children ages 8-12 participated in a modified version of the combat challenge that fire department trainees undergo.

The kids had to put on turnout gear — boots, pants, jacket and helmet — and carry a length of water hose along a path of cones. When they returned to the starting point they dropped the hose and picked up a 10-pound hammer to strike a tractor tire.

Jacob Cleaton, 9, whose father Jeremy is a captain with Greenville Fire-Rescue, was the first to try out the course.

The pants he pulled on didn’t have suspenders and started falling down. With his arms wrapped around the hose, a Greenville firefighter helped him out by grabbing the back of Cleaton’s pants and walked with him so he wouldn’t trip.

“It was definitely challenging,” Cleanton said. “But it was fun. It was definitely embarrassing.” However, he was ready to try again.

Cleaton said it had been a fun week but he was really looking forward to a trip to the pool later in the day.

Allison Russell, 11, struggled a bit because the boots were too big for her feet. “I had a hard time stepping but it was fun,” she said.

Russell took the class because she wants to learn safety skills so she can babysit. Earlier in the week they learned hands-only CPR and how to install a fire alarm.

“It was so fun. They have different things that are super fun,” she said.

“One of my uncles gave my mom the idea to sign me up for this,” said Tristan Edwards, 10. “I like it here. I’m probably going here next year. It’s really fun.”

The children were timed to see how long it took them to carry the hose and use the hammer. Edwards won his heat, which made the obstacle course one of his favorite events.

“I want to know how to do stuff like this, like CPR and stuff so I’ll be able to do it,” he said. If someone has a heart attack Edwards said he’s glad he can help and not wait for emergency responders.

This is the first academy the department has held since COVID-19 struck in 2020.

The academy concludes today when the participants demonstrate their skills and receive certificates of completion in front of fire-rescue staff, friends and family.

Contact Ginger Livingston at glivingston@reflector.com or 252-329-9570.

www.Reflector.com 1150 Sugg Pkwy Greenville, NC 27834 Main Phone: 252-329-9500 Customer Care Phone: 252-329-9505

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