The Waubonsie Valley High School senior has been learning firefighting skills such as how to find a person trapped in a dark, smoke-filled room, how to carry a 150 pound person down a ladder and how to put on his firefighting gear in less than 60 seconds..

All these skills came from a program through the Technology Center of DuPage’s fire science program. Baskin and 10 other classmates are taking the classes at TCD’s newest classroom at Naperville Fire Station 4.

Baskin says he always wanted to help people and thought that being a fireman is his best chance, and that this class is helping him learn to do it.

The program involves schooling in CPR, hazardous materials recognition, getting people out of cars, protocol for first responders, and a way to earn their EMT license. They also get up to 18 college credit hours.

Many of the former students in these classes are now working in the field as fireman, according to the TCD principal, Ed Susmilch, who is also a former fireman.

He said that the class gives the students a real life experience and that they want the kids to know that it’s real out there. That’s why the class is so realistic and they get hands on experience.

Baskin said that his classes have already made him understand the camaraderie that firefighters have and that he knows for sure now that this is what he wants to do with his life.