Igniting Inspiration: Fire Protection Career Expo Sparks Student Interest in the Trades

At Burns Science and Technology Charter School, we’re always looking for ways to connect our students with real-world experiences that open doors to future careers. Last week, our trade students had the incredible opportunity to take part in our first-ever Fire Protection Career Expo, and it was nothing short of a blazing success!

Twenty high school students spent the day diving into the fascinating and essential world of fire protection through hands-on learning, demonstrations, and mentorship from industry professionals. From building fire sprinklers to exploring virtual reality simulations of fire behavior, students experienced firsthand the science, technology, and teamwork behind keeping people and buildings safe.

With generous support from industry associations, manufacturers, distributors, and fire protection contractors, this event left a lasting impression on every student who attended.

Lighting the Spark: A Day of Hands-On Discovery

The day began bright and early at 8 AM with a powerful presentation on the dangers of fire and the life-saving importance of fire protection systems. Students watched impactful videos of real fire incidents that brought to life just how essential this industry is.

Then students learned about all of the careers available in this industry, including those in manufacturing and distribution. Their dedicated instructors shared their personal paths within the fire protection industry and spoke passionately about why they love their work. During the presentations, they handed out plenty of prizes including cold, hard cash in the form of gift cards! Students were encouraged to take notes and watch for secret answers hidden on different PowerPoint slides. Their attentiveness paid off with candy bars, gift cards, hats, backpacks, and even Bluetooth speakers.

From there, the hands-on fun began! Inside the lab, students took part in several interactive stations designed to bring the concepts to life:

Build-a-Riser Challenge: Teams of students assembled a full riser from the ground up, learning each component and how they work together in a fire protection system.

Build-a-Sprinkler Station: Each student received the materials to build their own fire sprinkler, step by step, and were able to take home their completed project as a reminder of what they accomplished.

Virtual Reality Burn Experience: Using virtual reality goggles, students experienced what it’s like to be inside a room on fire; both with and without sprinklers. This immersive experience gave them a whole new appreciation for the industry’s impact on saving lives.

These indoor activities set the stage for an afternoon of outdoor, large-scale demonstrations. Students witnessed a live fire pump demonstration using the school’s own system, complete with a “hose monster,” and watched a fire sprinkler spray pattern display showing how different sprinklers function and when each type is used.

To round out the day, students got to step inside and operate a track hoe for the ultimate hands on experience. They also, met a professional fitter who demonstrated pipe threading and grooving, showcasing the specialized tools used in the field. The students could hardly keep up as he skillfully cut, grooved, and threaded pipe with impressive speed and precision.

A True Community Effort

This unforgettable day was made possible by the collaboration and generosity of so many incredible people and companies. A heartfelt thank-you goes out to Jeannene Meisman fire protection specialist with Summit Fire Consulting for leading this initiative.

We also extend our deepest gratitude to the on-site team, who delivered engaging, hands-on experiences throughout the day:

• Ryan Shuler – Lehman Pipe & Supply LLC

• Jeremy Deen – International Fire Protection

• Carlos Nuñez – The Fire Sprinkler Guy

• Bobby Dewar, P.E., Brent Garvey & Eric Worthington – Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc.®

• Leif Gilliland – Titan Fire Protection, Inc.

• Jimmy Sanchez, Michael Jones & Jason Ashlaw – Grunau Fire Protection Orlando

• Andrew Sargent & Rob Bell – Legends Site and Underground Development, LLC

We also want to thank those who provided support materials and equipment that made this event possible:

• Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc.

• NFSA

• American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) & AFSA Florida Chapter

• PEG Paul & Associates, LTD

• NFPA

• FPC Magazine

• Florida Fire Sprinkler Association

• Spears Manufacturing Co.

• Core & Main

• Viking Group

Your donations, expertise, and enthusiasm helped make this day one our students will never forget.

Inspiring the Next Generation

The feedback from students, teachers, and participating professionals has been overwhelmingly positive. Students left the event excited, inspired, and curious about pursuing careers in the fire protection and construction trades.

This expo showed our students what’s possible when science, technology, and hands-on learning come together and how vital these skilled professionals are in protecting lives every day.

We are so grateful to everyone who made this possible and look forward to keeping this fire burning bright. The Fire Protection Career Expo has set the bar high for future events, and we can’t wait to see where it goes next!

Participating Organizations

Titan Fire Protection, Inc • Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc.® • Lehman Pipe & Supply LLC • Carlos Nuñez • Grunau Fire Protection • International Fire Protection • Legends Site and Underground Development LLC • NFPA • NFSA • American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) • AFSA Florida Chapter • FFSA • Summit Fire Consulting

More photos from the day: