Behind Austin Conquergood含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 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 .

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

He and the department含羞草研究社檚 first female member, Issy 含羞草研究社淚zzy含羞草研究社� Venables, have been undergoing an intensive training regime in preparation for their placement on the regular department roster.

含羞草研究社淛ust working with the crew that I含羞草研究社檓 going to be working with and getting those skills and getting their knowledge is critical,含羞草研究社� said Conquergood. 含羞草研究社淎s a paid on call we don含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�

Capt. Wayne McKenzie was supervising Conquergood含羞草研究社檚 training in this particular session.

含羞草研究社淪o today we含羞草研究社檙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,含羞草研究社� said McKenzie. 含羞草研究社淭his training facility is top notch, there含羞草研究社檚 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.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙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含羞草研究社檒l do auto accident and they含羞草研究社檒l be live fire training with our crews just to build everyone含羞草研究社檚 trust and confidence in each other doing that hot work.

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

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.

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

She is also no stranger to the school of hard knocks, having played women含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 a pretty big part of the puzzle.

含羞草研究社淧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含羞草研究社檝e kind of been a bit of a sponge and absorbed as much knowledge as they have to give.含羞草研究社�

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

And as far as the gender issue, Venables is quite at home working in 含羞草研究社渁 man含羞草研究社檚含羞草研究社� world and does not feel any added pressure being the only female firefighter in town.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e always been the female amongst the men so I含羞草研究社檓 pretty used to it, not a big change,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淔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.

含羞草研究社淔or me personally, I含羞草研究社檓 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含羞草研究社檚 what I含羞草研究社檓 looking forward to doing.含羞草研究社�