Youth Commissioners Participate In First Responders Program

By: Holly Hollman

Today the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission participated in its first responders program. The program, held at Leak City, a training facility in Athens, included lessons on Air Evac, distracted driving and fire response.

For today’s program, students sat in the Air Evac helicopter cockpit and talked to the Air Evac team about responding to emergencies. They also wore beer goggles that distorted their vision while they tried to maneuver a golf cart through a course set up by the Athens Police Department. Chief Floyd Johnson talked to students about tragic accidents he has responded to involving teenagers and drunk driving. Athens Fire and Rescue allowed each student to operate the deluge gun on top of the fire truck so they could experience moving it as needed for fire suppression.

The Youth Commission involves students comprised of 10-12 graders from Athens High School, Athens Bible School, Lindsay Lane Christian Academy and home school in Athens. The purpose of Youth Commission is to teach students about the role of local government and their role as citizens. The students participate in a different program each month to learn about city services, tourist attractions, community outreach opportunities and careers.
By: Holly Hollman
City of Athens Communications Specialist