Teenagers Anna Wallace and Ikilua Apitai have been rescued from wild rapids, practised basic first aid and learnt how to put out raging fires - all part of learning how emergency services work in the community.
The pair, from Rotorua Lakes High School and Rotorua Boys' High respectively are part of a group of 15 young people taking on a pilot project through the Ministry of Youth Development called Youth in Emergency Services (YES). Both hope to one day be involved as frontline staff.
The group took part in basic training with St John Ambulance, the Rotorua Fire Service and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force, Search and Rescue, Swift Water Rescue and Civil Defence, including both urban and land search and rescue scenarios.
Ikilua says he has always wanted to go into a career in a medical field - possibly nursing - but now he has taken on the St John part of the course he wants to train as a paramedic.
"It was such a good experience. We met new people and got the chance to see what the emergency services are like ... It really opened my eyes to what they do. I thought St John just went along and took people to hospital but they keep them alive. They do everything they can. I'd like to train as a paramedic."
Anna also found the course interesting, especially the experience of the welfare side of the different emergency services.
"I found the operational support just as important. They help to keep people away and keep staff hydrated. They look after everyone's welfare and try to make the job easier ... it really inspired me. I'm not sure what I'd like to do but I'd like to help people.
"This has given me options."
Both loved taking part in the swift water rescues on the Kaituna River.
"I know now how to protect myself and guide others out as well as avoid accidents.
"It was a lot of fun," Anna says.
The pair, along with the 13 other young people involved, are taking part in exercises at Tui Ridge this weekend before celebrating their success.
Each will graduate later in the month at a special ceremony.
Meanwhile, this is the first project of its kind in the world, says Ministry of Youth Development team manger central north Blair Gilbert.
The four-week pilot project is about getting young people involved and connecting with their community.
Every Saturday they have had training sessions with a different emergency service.
This will benefit them and potentially can lead to a career choice for the young person, Blair says.
"There are neat outcomes that can occur. The spin-offs are we need our young people to know more about emergency services.
"In the future there is the opportunity for them to be volunteers themselves.
"We need to prepare our young people to be on hand in an emergency like a flood, storm, earthquake or other civil emergency," he says.
"We have an ageing demographic and we have greater needs for emergency services ... it's about them being part of our community and taking part."
The emergency services sectors are very interested in the project, Blair says.
At this weekend's final training camp, the young people who took part will be supported to join an emergency service volunteer programme of their choice.
"There might not be a job there today for them but there could be.
"Volunteering they can be part of the community and learning new skills," he says.
The pair, from Rotorua Lakes High School and Rotorua Boys' High respectively are part of a group of 15 young people taking on a pilot project through the Ministry of Youth Development called Youth in Emergency Services (YES). Both hope to one day be involved as frontline staff.
The group took part in basic training with St John Ambulance, the Rotorua Fire Service and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force, Search and Rescue, Swift Water Rescue and Civil Defence, including both urban and land search and rescue scenarios.
Ikilua says he has always wanted to go into a career in a medical field - possibly nursing - but now he has taken on the St John part of the course he wants to train as a paramedic.
"It was such a good experience. We met new people and got the chance to see what the emergency services are like ... It really opened my eyes to what they do. I thought St John just went along and took people to hospital but they keep them alive. They do everything they can. I'd like to train as a paramedic."
Anna also found the course interesting, especially the experience of the welfare side of the different emergency services.
"I found the operational support just as important. They help to keep people away and keep staff hydrated. They look after everyone's welfare and try to make the job easier ... it really inspired me. I'm not sure what I'd like to do but I'd like to help people.
"This has given me options."
Both loved taking part in the swift water rescues on the Kaituna River.
"I know now how to protect myself and guide others out as well as avoid accidents.
"It was a lot of fun," Anna says.
The pair, along with the 13 other young people involved, are taking part in exercises at Tui Ridge this weekend before celebrating their success.
Each will graduate later in the month at a special ceremony.
Meanwhile, this is the first project of its kind in the world, says Ministry of Youth Development team manger central north Blair Gilbert.
The four-week pilot project is about getting young people involved and connecting with their community.
Every Saturday they have had training sessions with a different emergency service.
This will benefit them and potentially can lead to a career choice for the young person, Blair says.
"There are neat outcomes that can occur. The spin-offs are we need our young people to know more about emergency services.
"In the future there is the opportunity for them to be volunteers themselves.
"We need to prepare our young people to be on hand in an emergency like a flood, storm, earthquake or other civil emergency," he says.
"We have an ageing demographic and we have greater needs for emergency services ... it's about them being part of our community and taking part."
The emergency services sectors are very interested in the project, Blair says.
At this weekend's final training camp, the young people who took part will be supported to join an emergency service volunteer programme of their choice.
"There might not be a job there today for them but there could be.
"Volunteering they can be part of the community and learning new skills," he says.
Ikilua Apitai, 17, (left) and Anna Wallace, 16, learn basic St John First Aid on the Youth in Emergency Services (YES) pilot project being run in Rotorua.
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