A few hundred youths in Bridgeport spent their Tuesday at school getting a first-hand look at what it’s like to be a first responder during a career day.
They tried out tools and equipment used by emergency personnel in various situations and watched demonstrations from the Bridgeport Police mounted unit and a State Police bomb robot, which was especially popular.
The students also got to see the inside of the Bridgeport Police Department’s mobile command center and Bearcat SWAT vehicle, watch a “jaws of life” demonstration by Bridgeport Fire and try “The Convincer,” a state police simulator that replicates a low-speed motor vehicle accident to demonstrate the importance of wearing seatbelts.
The Bridgeport Junior Emergency Responders, an extra-curricular group in the Bridgeport Public Schools, sponsored the career day.
The agencies that participated in the event included the Bridgeport Police Department, the Bridgeport Fire Department, Connecticut State Police, the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and American Medical Response.
Next year, Bridgeport will open the Bridgeport Military Academy, which is a new high school specifically designed to teach public safety and emergency response.
