In August 2022, the Livingston Parish Fire Protection District 4 (LPFPD4) launched a Fire Educational Training program  for all seniors in Livingston Parish. The first of its kind in the State of Louisiana, the program trained and educated high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in firefighting.

The program was so successful that in 2023, LPFPD4 worked with the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Academy (FETA) to form a Louisiana High School Firefighter Training Program Committee and expanded the program into a statewide initiative that provides a pathway for high school seniors to obtain live fire training and certifications through partnerships with local fire departments and their respective school districts.  

The core training within the program supports fire and emergency departments by fostering relationships and engaging youth in learning about, and ultimately becoming, members of the fire service.  The program serves as a tool to promote youth participation within the fire and emergency services community.  This program will give our state’s youth the chance to learn about local fire, rescue, and emergency response organizations in a safe, controlled, and educational manner. 

This program provides youth with valuable life skills such as teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and commitment.  Successful implementation and completion of this course provides high school students 17 years of age and older with Hazardous Materials Awareness, Hazardous Materials Operations, Firefighter 1, and Firefighter 2 at the completion of high school, providing the opportunity to enter the workforce after graduating high school. 

The fire service has experienced a significant decline in volunteer and career firefighters over the last two decades, and Livingston Parish is no exception. Over the past 10 years, volunteer membership at District 4 has decreased more than fifty percent.

Students living in Livingston Parish that are interested in learning more about the Fire Training Program should speak directly to their school’s Guidance Counselor.