Madison Ellison peered at a sausage patty in her MRE — the prepackaged, instant ration soldiers and firefighters consume while out in the field — before poking it cautiously with a plastic utensil. The Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT) senior took the tiniest of nibbles — and immediately spit the sausage out. “This is disgusting!” she exclaimed. Ellison is one of 15 students in Washoe County’s new Fire Science Academy. Offered in conjunction with UNR Extension’s Living With Fire program, the first-of-its-kind program in the county introduces students to the basics of municipal and wildland firefighting and gives them the foundation to apply directly for jobs or study fire science in college. It is also designed to garner interest in a career field that is struggling to attract a qualified workforce locally and nationally.