Written by Ty Lounsbury
Determination, hard work, and a desire to help are all necessities for those who want to join the Protective Services CTE. Whether your interest is in police work, firefighting, or working as a paramedic, this program has it all. From learning how correctly to handcuff someone to being taught how to operate a fire truck, these students are kept busy. The supervisors, Mr. Lofberg and Mr. Macedonia, give lots of opportunities to their students to experience things that will prepare them for their future (and for some, even current) jobs in the protective services industry.
These instructors, who are also both state instructors, are more than qualified for this program. Mr. Macedonia is a paramedic and EMT instructor. Mr. Lofberg also has his own experience in the Protective Services field, with five years of experience as a police officer and 21 years of professional firefighting experience. Along with that, he’s currently still a volunteer firefighter, which he has been since 1997. Something that is different about this CTE than others is that there is a chance that students and teachers might run into each other at some point outside of the classroom, like if they spend their time volunteering for a fire department for example.
This class is a mix of learning both in and out of the classroom. For half the year, when they’re not in the classroom, the students are taken to the Pike County Training center. This is an official training facility that professionals also learn in. There are lots of certifications that can be earned in this program, and since both Mr. Lofberg and Mr. Macedonia are state instructors, they can sign off on certifications for their students. Although this program hasn’t been around for more than a few years, there seems to be lots of interest in it, which hopefully continues to grow. For people who have any interest in being the ones who respond to a 911 call, this CTE is the perfect opportunity to get lots of exposure to the world of emergency services. This program is truly a wonderful opportunity for many and something to consider for those who never thought about it!
