Lynden Tribune - Article Link
By Racquel Muncy Staff Reporter
Oct 31, 2025
Building good firefighters, better people
LAUREL — The students in Northwest Career and Technical Center’s Fire Science program held at Meridian High School are learning how to put on their firefighter equipment, put out fires and handle unsafe situations safely. More importantly, they’re growing as people.
The program is growing, going from one class session last school year to two now. Both are taught by retired firefighter and instructor Mark Wohlrab.
“This is our fire station and we treat it with pride,” Wohlrab said of the classroom.
The students, aka recruits, are in charge of keeping the classroom clean and maintained.
This early in the year the recruits are largely learning about the personal protective equipment, what it’s used for and why it’s important. However, they’re also learning about altruism, teamwork, communication, honor and integrity.
“In this class we do not compete with each other,” Wohlrab said. “We take care of each other.”
Many of the students come in with some interest in being a firefighter, but without expectations of what the class would be like.
Tristan Haines is a legacy recruit. His father, Levi Haines, works for the Bellingham Fire Department and coincidentally was also trained in part by Wohlrab.
“I always spent time in the fire department,” Haines said. “It became a second family, and I wanted to experience it for myself.”
He said he is learning how to communicate with different types of people and finding it more challenging than he anticipated.
“We have so many smart kids,” he said. “Everybody thinks differently.”
Like Haines, Jack Cook has always wanted to be a firefighter.
“Since I was 7 I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to get my foot in the door... This is my way to do it.”
Bridgette Adams, a first year student in the program, is impressed only about two months in.
“It’s pretty amazing,” she said. “It shows you everything you need to know.”
Adams said the program is more hands on than she was anticipating. She was expecting mostly book work and a few demonstrations thrown in. She said she has also already grown close with her fellow recruits.
“We’re all really close,” she said. “It’s a great learning environment.”
Leanne King was originally thinking about going into nursing, but wanted to give this program a shot.
“I fell in love with the idea of firefighting more,” she said.
King wants to help fix people’s worst days and has learned the teamwork, trust and camaraderie that comes with the territory of fire service.
As a second-year student, King said she has learned everything to have a strong foundation, but more importantly she has learned about honor and treating people well even if they do not necessarily deserve it in the moment.
“The things that you get out of this isn’t just for your career,” King said.
Isaac Wright is new to the program and said he really wasn’t sure at first. Firefighting wasn’t in the cards for him, but his cousin took the course and enjoyed it. Despite not being fond of trying something new, Wright said he was convinced to give the program a chance. Now firefighting is a potential career option he is open to.
He said he came in expecting book work and to run the mile daily, instead he said the days are more complex and scheduled out than he would have thought.
“I really thrive in that,” he said, adding that he encourages other give the program a try.
The second-year students are given low level leadership positions in the classroom and are often given the opportunity to do further training with partnering fire departments, such as Whatcom County Fire District 1, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, the Lynden Fire Department and the Bellingham Fire Department.
“They are exceptional partners,” Wohlrab said.
In the classroom the leaders are able to help their fellow recruits grow.
Haines said the leadership position is helping with his communication efforts.
Cook said his strength is his ability to spot those that need assistance. However, he wants to work on being more assertive as a leader.
In addition to partnering to help the students, several fire departments have donated equipment or given equipment at a good price. This time last year the Fire Science classroom was near empty. Since then the classroom has become filled with donated bunker gear, supplied air respirators and tools.
The program was able to purchase some other equipment and was able to purchase a retired firetruck from the Lynden Fire Department for $1.
The program is also a partnership with area schools through the NCTA as it holds students from all over the county including Bellingham, Lynden and Nooksack.
Wohlrab said he is hopeful to get other schools, fire stations and even businesses involved in the program. The more people who support the program, the better it can be.
After graduating from the Fire Science program students have a variety of options, although most fire departments require new recruits to be at least 21 years old.
Some students go to Skagit Valley College or University of Alaska Fairbanks for their fire sciences programs.
Haines intends to join the Coast Guard for further experience and training before coming back to follow in his father and join the Bellingham Fire Department.
For those that decide the fire service is not for them, the students unanimously agreed the program is still worth it.
“I’ve seen so many people become better people, myself included,” Haines said. “It’s such a great class to learn life skills.”
Cook agreed, adding that he has seen a recruit going from little integrity to someone with honor and who was accountable.
“You can see such a big switch,” he said, adding that he believes Wohlrab is a large reason for that switch.
-- Contact Racquel Muncy at racquel@lyndentribune.com.
