Oscar is one of seven amazing members on the High Prairie crew for 2025!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello, my name is Oscar, and I’m a Grade 11 student from Rosemary, Alberta. I love everything outdoors, whether it’s scuba diving, hiking, sailing, surfing, as well as reading. When my mom was my age, she worked as a Jiffer and her stories inspired me to learn more about the program, which eventually led me to apply. I’ve been involved with JCR, SALTS, and RAYEC, and I’m excited to say that working as a Jiffer for the past month has been amazing. I’ve learned a lot, met some great people, and had experiences I won’t forget. I’m really looking forward to the opportunities the next two weeks have in store.
What has been your favorite project or activity you’ve done with JFR so far?
My favourite part of the summer so far has been getting to experience so many different aspects of firefighting. We’ve gotten to do tours of different departments and learn about structural firefighting, as well as getting to work an actual wildfire with an experienced crew.
Please describe your JFR leaders with a pop culture/musical reference / meme and explain why.
Tim is the chill guy meme — he’s always calm, even-keeled, and never seems stressed, no matter what’s going on.
Corbin is the Lorax — he never lets us prune the forest as much as we’d like to, and the moustache only adds to the comparison.
Keenan is Dusty Crophopper from the movie’s planes— he started off loving planes and now he’s getting into firefighting
What would you say to someone who is thinking about applying to the program?
Put in the effort to apply, it’s worth it. One of my mom’s favourite quotes is “Live the question”. It means don’t overthink it, just put yourself out there and see what happens. If you get selected for an interview, that’s a big step toward a government job where you’ll earn certifications, work on real projects, and meet some great people.
If your whole crew were an animal, what animal would you be and why?
We’d be beavers. Everyone pulls their weight, and we actually get to build stuff that impacts the community around us.