TEHACHAPI YOUTHS HOPE FOR FUTURE AS FIREFIGHTERS

2003 Warriors AJ Barcelona, Tanner Hutchinson, and Sean Finley look to Explorers to help build a career after High School

Posted 03-31-04, by Juliana Crisalli

TEHACHAPI NEWS - For years, the Explorer program has trained, tested and given young adults a chance to experience the responsibility and endurance of firefighters.

Three young men from Tehachapi, Tanner Hutchinson, a senior at Tehachapi High School, Sean Finley, a junior, and A.J. Barcelona, a senior, are trying to become Explorers. They have already passed the physical agility test and are waiting for their oral interview, which is a large percentage of the overall score.

Although these young men are competing with each other and about 60 other hopefuls, they have maintained a strong friendship through the sweat and hard work of becoming an Explorer.

The agility test ran them through an obstacle course containing seven strenuous activities, such as the hose pull. In this exercise, the prospective Explorers drag a 150-foot, 135-pound hose approximately 160 feet and then run back with it to where they began.

Pacing themselves, the Tehachapi students completed all seven tests under the required seven minutes. They also had to successfully run a mile under eight minutes. If either of these events are not completed in time, the participant is disqualified. In the obstacle course, Finley had the fastest time of 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

"Sean set the fastest time all week, for all the practices, at about 4:16," said Terry Crosby, a Los Angeles County firefighter, referring to the obstacle course time.

Although all three of the Tehachapi boys made it through the physical test, a few others did not. According to Hutchinson, a few of the participants threw up during the different events because of the demanding activity. They only had two days of training before the agility test.

"This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door," said Finley. "It's been a lot of fun. It's been really hard, harder than I thought."

All three Tehachapi boys are active in sports, such as football, track and baseball.

They believe their sports involvement has helped them greatly with the physical activities required to make it into the program.

"They did Tehachapi proud," said Crosby.

Both Hutchinson and Finley have wanted to become firefighters since they were little. Hutchinson's motivation comes from his father.

"My dad's an LA City Firefighter so, that's what inspired me. It's good hours and good pay," said Hutchinson.

Once the Explorers are selected, they will learn basic firefighting skills, procedures and how to use the firefighting tools.

"They get to ride alone in the station, they show up in the morning just like we do," said Crosby. "They spend 24 hours, they ride along with the firefighters, they sleep in the same dorm that we do, they eat dinner with us, they eat breakfast with us, they cook, they clean, they come out and they are just like firefighters. The only pay they are really getting is experience because when they go for their real interview to become a firefighter, it is valuable to say you've rode along and to say you've been an Explorer for three years."

Sean Finley demonstrates the testing he went through to be a firefighter Explorer. While the hose he carries is 45 pounds, for the test he had to run with three hoses connected together - Photo by Ian Hamilton

thswarriors.com note - Both AJ Barcelona and Tanner Hutchinson are looking to suit up for Antelope Valley College next year for Brent Carder's Junior College Mauraders.  Barcelona and Hutchinson will be joined by two Warrior alums on the team in Keith Noonan (Class of 2000) and Bobby Unger (Class of 2001), who both enjoyed successful campaigns their freshmen year with AV College.  Sean Finley, a junior, hopes to continue his successful defensive and offensive performances from the 2003 CIF Championship team to the 2004 campaign for the Warriors.

BACK TO WEEKLY WARRIOR ARTICLE