Behind Austin Conquergood害羞草研究所檚 safety visor just a hint of a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as he stands in close proximity to the flames ripping from the car害羞草研究所檚 interior.

That happiness stems from the fact six weeks ago the Princess Margaret grad got the call saying he had been chosen to fill one of two, new, full-time career positions with .

害羞草研究所淚t was a great feeling to get that call, it really is a dream come true that害羞草研究所檚 for sure,害羞草研究所� said Conquergood, 22, as the sweat poured down his face after completing the burning car training exercise at the Number 202 Hall. 害羞草研究所淚 was a paid on call (auxiliary) member for about three years and this is what I害羞草研究所檝e always wanted to. It害羞草研究所檚 awesome and you couldn害羞草研究所檛 ask for a better bunch of guys.害羞草研究所�

He and the department害羞草研究所檚 first female member, Issy 害羞草研究所淚zzy害羞草研究所� Venables, have been undergoing an intensive training regime in preparation for their placement on the regular department roster.

害羞草研究所淛ust working with the crew that I害羞草研究所檓 going to be working with and getting those skills and getting their knowledge is critical,害羞草研究所� said Conquergood. 害羞草研究所淎s a paid on call we don害羞草研究所檛 get the hands-on training everyday so this definitely helps. Getting here we may be 90, 95 per cent but we want to get to that 100 per cent and this is the way to do it.害羞草研究所�

Capt. Wayne McKenzie was supervising Conquergood害羞草研究所檚 training in this particular session.

害羞草研究所淪o today we害羞草研究所檙e preparing Austin for his career as a firefighter with live fire drills just so he gets used to all of our equipment and that will prepare him for success in his career,害羞草研究所� said McKenzie. 害羞草研究所淭his training facility is top notch, there害羞草研究所檚 no replacement for a firefighter like Austin to be able to experience the heat, the smoke, the flames, there is just no replacement for that in terms of being prepared for an actual fire, a real event.害羞草研究所�

According to deputy chief Dennis Smith, the new recruits are doing well and likely less than a week away from a spot on the regular department roster.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e building on that (previous firefighting skills training) and so now what we do is introduce them to some of the rescue tasks that we do, the swift water and ice rescue. Both of them were out on the ice earlier this year. They害羞草研究所檒l do auto accident and they害羞草研究所檒l be live fire training with our crews just to build everyone害羞草研究所檚 trust and confidence in each other doing that hot work.

害羞草研究所淲e start off slow and easy and thoughtful and the comfort or confidence level is pretty easily attained because as auxiliaries they害羞草研究所檝e already been relying on that relationship to acquire that job that they have now.害羞草研究所�

For Izzy Venables, 31, fighting fires is not new, especially after four years as a Penticton Auxiliary and a decade in the forestry wildfire business travelling throughout the province and U.S. on the front lines.

害羞草研究所淚 decided to switch because I think that I saw more of a future in structural (firefighting) and I knew that害羞草研究所檚 really where my interests lay I wanted get more into the first responders site of things out of the seasonal gig,害羞草研究所� said Venables. 害羞草研究所淚t also really opens up the doors to things like rope rescue training or swift water training or ice rescue training. Also there害羞草研究所檚 the MVA side o f things the medical side of things.害羞草研究所�

She is also no stranger to the school of hard knocks, having played women害羞草研究所檚 rugby at the premier level however is now transitioning to the less damaging world of (non contact) standup paddle board racing.

No matter what she is doing, Venables enjoys the camaraderie of working with others.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a real team dynamic atmosphere here. I was able to put my experience on a wild (fire) line crew and through my experience playing sports, bring it into this kind of team atmosphere at the fire department,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 huge for me, I kind of think, for myself, being in a team atmosphere gives you an opportunity to strive to be the best person you can be but also motivate your peers at the same time. It害羞草研究所檚 a pretty big part of the puzzle.

害羞草研究所淧enticton is pretty lucky we have some career staff who are really well versed not only in firefighting but in other areas as well and I害羞草研究所檝e kind of been a bit of a sponge and absorbed as much knowledge as they have to give.害羞草研究所�

Having volunteered at the Soupateria, SPCA and working with St. John Ambulance Brigade she is looking forward to the department害羞草研究所檚 outside participation in community activities.

And as far as the gender issue, Venables is quite at home working in 害羞草研究所渁 man害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� world and does not feel any added pressure being the only female firefighter in town.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always been the female amongst the men so I害羞草研究所檓 pretty used to it, not a big change,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淔or me, overall when I look at the big picture, being the only female, there are young girls and young men looking towards me, seeing me kind of blazing a path and that gets me a little bit excited.

害羞草研究所淔or me personally, I害羞草研究所檓 just coming to work every day and learning as much as I can and do the best job that I can do and being able to serve the people of Penticton is just such a big plus and that害羞草研究所檚 what I害羞草研究所檓 looking forward to doing.害羞草研究所�