The City of Trenton is proud to highlight the 2023 Junior Public Safety Academy graduating class. The summer program seeks to provide Trenton youth with public safety training, at the headquarters of the Trenton Fire and Emergency Services Department, located at 244 Perry Street. The graduation ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers.
“This is many kids’ first exposure to public safety. They interact with Police, Fire, and, EMS through their activities whether it be safety training or field trips and it opens up their world of imagination,” Mayor Reed Gusciora said.
Through the course of the program, which began on July 11th, students gained certifications in CPR, Stop the Bleed, Scuba Diving, active fire hose training, flying drones, and more. The students were also taken on multiple educational trips including the Franklin Institute, the African American Museum, the Smithsonian, and the Liberty Science Center. After completing 1400 hours of the program, 27 students are set to graduate Friday with 12 certificates in different aspects of public safety.
“I want to thank the Mayor and City Council for their support of the program. We are teaching these children how public safety is, showing them how Police, Fire, and EMS work, and maybe inspiring them to be the next public safety professionals in the city of Trenton. ” Fire and Emergency Services Director Kenneth Douglas added.
Director Douglas established the program last year, with 12 students graduating for the 2022 class. The Academy was open to students ages 12-16 and will run from July 11th through August 25th. The City of Trenton recognizes that investment in our City’s youth is an investment in our City’s future. For more information and to stay updated on next year’s program, parents and students may contact Firefighter Eric Johnson at 609-424-6011 or ericjohnson@trentonnj.org
