First Responder Academy teaches Utica teens about police, fire careers

Can showing a group of high school students what first responders do help to buttress the dwindling numbers of young adults looking for careers in fields like law enforcement, firefighting and emergency medical services?

That’s the idea behind Safe Schools Mohawk Valley’s Urban Leadership Institute: First Responder Academy, which took place this week, the week of Aug. 18, with 25 students from Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica.

The five-day academy was designed to immerse students in the responsibilities and rewards of public service careers.

“This program not only builds critical leadership skills in our young people, but also introduces them to meaningful career paths in public safety,” Safe Schools CEO Anne Lansing said in a statement. “We’re proud to offer this experience at no cost to families, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent a student from accessing these often life-changing opportunities.”

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Recruitment issues

Many law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical services agency around the country have talked about aging staffs and the difficulty of recruiting enough younger workers, a challenge that’s particularly steep for fire and emergency medical agencies that rely on volunteers.

Here are a few facts that highlight the trend:

The country had the fewest volunteer firefighters in 2020 that it’s ever had — 676,900 compared to 816,600 in 2002 — according to the National Volunteer Fire Council.
But the number of fire calls across the nation has continued to rise, from 11,890,000 in 1986 to 36,624,000 in 2021, according to the council.
The number of active and certified EMS responders (which includes emergency medical technicians and paramedics) in New York fell by 17.5% from 2019 to 2022, according to a September, 2024 report by the New York State Emergency Medical Services Council.
And the number of ambulance services in the state fell by 9% from 2012 (when there were 1,078) to 2022 (when there were 982), according to the report.
Slightly over half (52%) of emergency medical services agencies who use at least some volunteer responders said that their ability to answer calls in a timely manner had been moderately or severely affected by a shortage of certified volunteer staff, the report found.

“This administration maintains that public safety is a priority,” Utica Mayor Mike Galime said in a statement. “At a time when it’s all hands on deck for recruitment, this program is essential to introducing jobs in public safety to our community.”

Academy activities

Here’s what the academy students did during the week:

Aug. 18: Press conference with academy partners in the morning and a tour of Utica City Court in the afternoon.
Aug. 19: Tour of the Oneida County 911 Center and discussions and demonstrations at the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.
Aug. 20: Activities with the Utica Fire Department, including at the Utica Fire Academy and the department’ training center.
Aug. 21: Learning about the Trust Building Program of the Utica Police Department and Neighborhood Center and about crime scene processing with the police.
Aug. 22: Activities at the CityScape complex at the New York State Preparedness Center in Oriskany followed by a graduation ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

The itinerary was created by former Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, who is serving as academy coordinator.

“This event will (1.) open doors for the students and (2.) help the students understand what is required to become a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, firefighter or a lawyer,” he said in a statement at the beginning of the week. “I look forward to working with many of my former colleagues in law enforcement and emergency services.”

Supporting funding

Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy, secured $100,000 in state funding for the academy, which also receives financial support annually from Stewart’s Shops’ Holiday Match Grant program.

“We are planting seeds of leadership, courage, and commitment,” Buttenschon said in a statement. “This isn’t just an introduction to careers; it’s a doorway into community, into purpose and into a future where these young people see themselves as changemakers.”

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. agreed that connecting high school students to the realities of these careers can make a difference to the students and to their communities.

“Safe Schools Mohawk Valley’s First Responder Academy is an outstanding opportunity for our young people to experience firsthand the dedication, skill and teamwork that go into keeping our community safe,” he said in a statement. “By opening the doors to our county facilities and connecting students with the professionals who serve here every day, we hope to spark an interest in public service and inspire the next generation of leaders in law enforcement, emergency response and beyond.”

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