BOISE, Idaho — Paying for education can be a burden as heavy as metal. To help ease that load, a world-famous heavy metal band is helping pay to train some of the Treasure Valley's future firefighters.
The College of Western Idaho's Fire Services Technology program was given a $75,000 grant by Metallica's foundation as part of an initiative to support students in trades.
CWI's Fire Services Technology program has an academy where aspiring firefighters get hands-on training and schooling from local firefighters and chiefs.
The $75,000 grant from Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation will help rent turnout fire-protective gear for students to use during their internships with local fire departments, as well as equipment and scholarships.
"This grant has been instrumental this year," CWI Fire Services Program Director Darrin Raskopf said. "Because one thing we ran into last year was a lack of equipment, and we had to rely on the departments to step up and supply some of the equipment."
Students in the academy are dedicated to the 40-hour-a-week, 16 week long program, so they say having the extra help to pay for the gear can make a huge difference.
The students showed off their appreciation with a unique heavy-metal firefighting demonstration by combining a fire hose with a guitar made by CWI welding students.
"The grant is absolutely incredible," Brendan Smith, a student in the fire service program said. "It provides us the opportunity to be out here on the drill grounds, learning and applying what we're learning in the classroom to help us be better professionals."
This is the fourth cohort of future firefighters that the College of Western Idaho has had. This year's academy has 17 students. Equipment from the grant will be able to be used well into the future.
"We know it's so important - a growing valley has growing needs," CWI President Gordon Jones said. "We all want qualified fire protection and professionals when we need them, and we're really thankful for the partnerships that help these students get prepared and go into that workforce."