By LAUREN WEST

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Two young men were packing up car washing supplies on Thursday afternoon when The Dart landed at the Natchez Fire Department on Main Street.

Melvin Harrison, 18, and Tyree Boss, 18, are participants of a summer youth program organized by the City of Natchez.

The program aims to help local young adults obtain job skills and first-hand experience working for the city, all while getting paid.

Of the 12 spots open each summer, Harrison and Boss filled the two positions designated for the fire department.

Despite the opportunities offered by the program, Harrison and Boss entered the program for different reasons.

“I really needed something to do over the summer instead of sitting at home,” Harrison said.

“I did not know anything about it, but when my uncle gave me a packet, I looked through it and I wanted to interview for a position,” Boss said.

The daily tasks for Harrison and Boss change weekly, but the duties typically include washing fire trucks, landscaping and painting at all of the fire stations in Natchez.

And while the program is set to end for the summer on Friday Harrison and Boss both said they plan to use the experiences they gained at the fire station to either continue their education or pursue other work.

“I am going to college at Co-Lin,” Boss said, “but I am also considering being a firefighter after this.”

Harrison was a little less decisive.

“I do not know yet, but I am still deciding between college or becoming a millwright,” Harrison said.

Natchez Fire Chief Aaron Wesley said he hopes the young men will consider pursuing careers in firefighting.

“I have been asking them to become a firefighter,” Wesley said with laugh. “I think they are close to applying.”

Whether the young men decide to pursue a career in firefighting, one thing for sure is they both said they would recommend the program to anyone interested.

“It would be a good experience for work,” Boss said.