BY MATT LINDSEYNorth Country This Week

This story has been corrected because district teacher William Votra, who leads the firefighter course, was originally misidentified as Rodney Voter. North Country This Week regrets the error.

PARISHVILLE — A new firefighting course at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School is giving students hands-on learning opportunities while introducing them to a critical need in St. Lawrence County.

Superintendent Steven Coffin said the course focuses on two main areas, emergency response, including firefighting and medical emergencies, and civics and community involvement.

“This course will be a part of our civics pathway moving forward and offers students a new exciting elective course that is showing some high interest,” Coffin said.

The course also highlights the need for volunteers to maintain essential community services, including staffing local fire stations.

“I think there's around 45 fire stations in the county and all but three are staffed with volunteers,” Coffin said. “Our communities need more volunteers and this is a great way to teach students how they can get more involved while also teaching them how to control fires and respond to medical emergencies.”

According to the course description, students learn about fire prevention and control, fire department organization and regulations, and the tools and techniques used to extinguish fires. The curriculum also includes emergency medical procedures and fire investigation techniques.

The school thanked several fire departments, emergency services organizations and community members for helping outfit the class and make the program possible.

Those recognized included the Saranac Lake, DeKalb Junction, Malone, Nicholville, Hopkinton-Fort Jackson and Parishville fire departments, the St. Lawrence County Fire Chiefs Association and St. Lawrence County Emergency Services.

The school also thanked the individuals who helped establish the program and singled out social studies teacher William Votra for leading the course.