When volunteer firefighters put on their gear to save a person’s life, they are not thinking about themselves. They put their lives on the line for what many times is a perfect stranger.

Baker University and the Palmyra Township Fire Department have joined together in an effort to give Baker University students a chance to serve the community, see what it is like to be a firefighter and possibly follow in that career path.

Erin Joyce, interim assistant dean for liberal studies, said this effort goes right along with the community service portion of the new liberal studies program.

The students involved will be taking a year-long course that will prepare the students to serve as firefighters anywhere in the country.

Even though this year will not be sophomore Phil Roach’s first year around a fire truck, he will still go through the whole year of training.

“What really excites me is that training through a community college is a couple thousand dollars, and Baker and the fire department are giving it out for free,” Roach said.

The class is broken up into semesters where the first semester is going to be more hands-on training.

“This is when the students will learn the basics,” course instructor Greg Kruger said.

Some of the basics include how to put the gear on properly in less than a minute and how to drive and operate the fire trucks.

After a 90-day period, the soon-to-be volunteers will have the opportunity to respond to calls.

During the fall semester, the class will meet the second Monday of every month and one Saturday a month.

“The second semester is when we send them back to the books,” Kruger said.

By the end of the second semester, the students will be prepared to take the Fire One test that is given out to many paid and volunteer firefighters to certify an individual’s service throughout the country.

Even though the test is not required at most small fire stations, Roach believes the test is a good idea, especially for those students like him who want to make fighting fires a career at some point.

During the spring semester the class will meet two days during the week and every other Saturday.

Tuesdays and Thursdays will be bookwork days to prepare for the test at the end of the year.

The first meeting will be Monday at 7 p.m. at the Palmyra Fire House at 372 E. 1700th Rd. in Baldwin City.

So far about 10 people have shown interest enrolling in the course. If interested, contact Greg Kruger at 758-865-9000.