HARBOR SPRINGS — It’s a chance for teens to learn what it takes to work together in an emergency - and maybe even find their future career path.
On a cool fall morning in Emmet County - a simulated emergency is underway.
Public safety class students from the Charlevoix Emmet Intermediate School District gathered at Boyne Highlands near Harbor Springs for a mock search and rescue mission.
Emmet County emergency manager Matthew Blythe said it’s all part of a greater plan.
“They need to see the opportunities out there, that law enforcement is not just the traffic stops and engines. There are K-9 units, there’s drone units, there’s ATV and marine units,” said Blythe, “Fire and law work together in a search and rescue environment and we need EMS to take care of our responders and the victims, so that everybody plays a part.”
Students partnered up with 12 different departments and played roles as law professionals, drone pilots, canine units, EMS, fire and public information officers.
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians safety officer Matt Tetreault said students need hands on experience.
“It gets them out of the classroom setting and actually puts them in a physical setting. It helps them actually see us all working together and it just makes more sense when you can actually see something in front of your face,” said Tetreault.
The training happens twice a year, for students like John Sonnenberg the experience put schoolwork in action.
“I was with incident command, so I was pretty much told information and was relaying that information to pretty much everyone. ”
Sonnenberg said the mock search and rescue offers a glimpse into what it’s like to help the public.
“I’m really glad for this experience and really grateful knowing that I could save someone’s life or have an impact on that really makes me happy inside and joyful,” said Sonnenberg. “I talked to the people afterwards in the ambulance, made sure they were okay, and i got some joy and pride out of that.”
Organizers said that’s the goal - to inspire the next generation of first responders and help students see that public safety is more than a job; it’s a community calling.
“Cops are not bad guys, cops, fire and EMS are there to help and there are opportunities for them going forward with careers.”