OC HIGH : STUDENT NEWS & VIEWS : On the Fire Line

It was 7 a.m. last Thursday when Curt Corbin, 16, got the call: Firefighter Explorers were needed to help back up firefighters battling the flames in Laguna Beach. Corbin, a junior at Los Alamitos High, estimates that 20 Explorers worked tirelessly during the fire at various tasks, from delivering food and water to firefighters on the line to working at the command center.

The Firefighter Explorer program, open to those 14 to 21, has about 200 members countywide. Explorers are not exposed to dangerous situations and are a valuable resource, according to Orange County Battalion Chief Michael McCann.

Corbin, who has been in the program two years, said he was glad to be a part of last week’s firefighting effort. “It was a neat experience,” he said. For more on the program, call (714) 744-0545.