Redlands
Emergency Services
Academy Gives Youth a Taste of Service
T
he City of Redlands (pop. 69,498) in Southern California has long sought ways to attract talented recruits to its public safety services. In 1999 the Redlands Fire and Police Departments, Crafton Hills College and the Redlands Unified School District looked for a way to encourage, train and mentor local students interested in emergency services careers. The program was designed to provide a positive influence on local youth, give local high-school graduates a start in job training and foster a talented pool of local recruits.
The Redlands Emergency Services Academy (RESA) was created as a partnership of the Police and Fire departments, school district and community college as a proactive effort. Its goal is to provide graduating high-school seniors with positive exposure to the challenges, benefits and rewards of a career in law enforcement or emergency fire services. The week-long live-in academy stresses the development of leadership skills and teamwork and the value of making a meaningful contribution to one’s community.
Participants are exposed to the types of tasks and responsibilities required of safety personnel, as well as the training, education and physical standards that must be met.
Students in the Redlands Emergency Services Academy get hands-on training in police procedures.
The City of Redlands won the Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government in the 2012 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program. For more about the award program, visit www.helenputnam.org.
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League of California Cities
www.cacities.org