Tulare County approves youth cadet internship with Visalia Unified

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors on an unanimous vote approved an agreement with Visalia Unified School District to let high school students participate in an internship and cadet training program with the Tulare County Fire Department from March 2025 through June 2030.

The program, described by the fire department as a county-led pilot to introduce local youth to fire service careers, will place students in station-based experiences, ride-alongs and eligibility pathways into vocational firefighter and emergency medical training programs offered at local community colleges.

Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman presented the item to the board and framed the program as a way to expand local recruitment and mentorship. He described the cadet effort as a successor to prior Explorer programs and tied it to existing partnerships with regional colleges that provide vocational firefighter academies, EMT training and paramedicine coursework. Chief Norman said the department wants to “control the program” locally so it can place students in stations and mentor them toward public‑safety careers.

Board members who spoke during the discussion endorsed the program as a recruitment and career-pathway tool. Chair Vanderpool said the county should use the program to keep talented youth in Tulare County and to expose students to career options in public service. Supervisor Townsend moved to approve the agreement; Supervisor McCarrie seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously.

The board and presenters described the program as initially centered on Visalia Unified but intended to expand to other high school districts in the county over time. The presentation noted connections with local community college ROP and vocational programs and with existing county programs such as seasonal fuels crews and volunteer station-level programs.

Votes at a glance: - Consent calendar (items 3–18): motion by Supervisor Valero, seconded by Supervisor Townsend; passed unanimously. (The consent calendar vote occurred before the cadet item.) - Item 19 — Agreement with Visalia Unified School District for a student internship/cadet program with the Tulare County Fire Department (March 2025–June 2030): motion by Supervisor Townsend, seconded by Supervisor McCarrie; passed unanimously.

The board did not record substantive public comment opposing the item during the vote. After the vote the board moved into a closed session as announced by county counsel.

The approved agreement is described in the meeting as an initial, county‑controlled pilot to be expanded to other districts; the agreement term listed in the presentation runs from March 2025 through June 2030. The county said the program will interface with local community colleges and existing recruit/volunteer efforts to create a recruitment pipeline for local fire and emergency services.