Benefits of Starting an Explorer Program

Dear Nozzlehead: Many fire companies and departments have a fire explorer post or a junior firefighter program. Unfortunately, the older members in my volunteer fire department do not like explorers or the idea of junior members. This includes the chief! What can I do to change their minds so they understand that this can be a good thing in the fire service–not a waste of space, time and money?
–A Confused Explorer in Pa.
 
Dear Confused,
Let me just state that a junior firefighter program is often a pain in the ass. Seriously, it requires a lot of planning, policy, guidance, leadership and related stuff–just like doing “regular” department training, checking equipment, preplanning, drilling and other stuff that enhances the department’s ability to serve and grow. Bringing the “juniors” on is one more thing to add to the schedule when few have time to do much else. Lame excuse, I know.
 
So often, decisions by bosses are based on their time, their convenience and their interest. I know a retired chief of a large metro city who once told me that his city will NEVER have a tower ladder as long as he is chief. NEVER. Why? He didn’t like them. Seriously?! But, he held the power, so therefore, what was best for his city, citizens and firefighters was NOT gonna happen. He simply didn’t like them, even though they work well in New York, Chicago and pretty much every urban and suburban setting. That’s the kind of leaderlessness that gets in the way of what’s best for the department and the community.
 
Are junior firefighters what’s best for a community and department? It depends, but when done right, the answer is absolutely.

Let’s start with 20 junior firefighters who LOVE their program. Then add their parents and friends who vote in the community, meaning you’ve now created a pseudo political action committee that will support the department because little Igor is involved as a junior firefighter!
 
Your chief has to understand that just because HE doesn’t like the idea, it still may be a good idea. Maybe HE doesn’t have the time? OK. Perhaps he can look within the fire department and find out who IS willing to run the program. See that, he can have someone ELSE do it and CHIEFY can take all the credit!
 
Your chief and the leadership in the department have to understand the value of a great youth program in any fire, rescue or EMS department–assuming the attitude is right, the right folks lead it and the right kids are brought on.

And before I forget … background checks? Hell yes! Heavy-duty, totally thorough, law-enforcement-agency-conducted, independent-of-your-fire-department, and as-far-as-you-can-look BACKGROUND CHECKS. No excuses. That is a MUST, as allowed by the law of your state. For who? Well, all of your regular members as well as junior applicants. Everyone.
 
OK, so now that we have conducted background checks and minimized the psycho potential, let’s get back to the juniors, and why fire departments should have a junior program.
 
Understand that, especially in a volunteer department, but career as well, it serves as a means of personal development for the youths, as well as a recruiting pool. Junior firefighter programs give youth members a chance to learn about your organization in a safe, controlled, educational, and cool way while providing departments with an excellent recruitment mechanism. Reaching out to the youngsters has long-range effects, and encouraging them to take part in the department is extremely beneficial to local communities.
 
One program I’m familiar with is the Alert Fire Company of Great Neck, Long Island, N.Y., which has had a very structured, hugely popular and award-winning junior firefighter program for many, many years. Their program is for young adults ages 12 to 17 who want to learn about firefighting and EMS. Many of their current active members were once juniors–clearly a great recruitment tool. The junior firefighters meet twice every month for a meeting and once a month for training; they also meet for practices, parades, shows, etc. Their program is only for well-motivated individuals–it’s not for everyone–and they make that very clear when you apply.

The junior firefighters (in the Alert Fire Company and many other programs as well) do many of the same training activities as regular firefighters, except not to the same extent and with little risk. They are actually issued real turnout gear and dress uniforms.

The juniors can be a fun and very rewarding program if you are committed to it, but the senior advisors will always encourage junior members to put school first. Poor grades? Stay away from the firehouse! It’s a great incentive.
 
I did some digging at the national level, and according to the NVFC (www.nvfc.org), benefits of junior firefighter programs include:
–    Allowing youth to gain insight and interest in becoming long-term members of the emergency services.
–    Increasing awareness among youth about volunteering and supporting the fire and emergency services.
–    Providing departments with additional help in accomplishing non-firefighting or non-emergency tasks.
–    Leadership development for America’s youth, who are tomorrow’s leaders.
–    Educating parents and mentors on the importance of encouraging volunteerism.
–    Training teenagers in firefighting and emergency services. Typical activities include practicing firefighting techniques, communication using radios, practicing first aid, maintaining firefighting gear, firefighting drills and responding to emergency calls.
 
You should also check out the NVFC’s recruitment video (www.nvfc.org/juniors), which you can use to help generate interest in your chief and other members, and educate them about the benefits of participating in a junior firefighter program.  
 
I would suggest that you–or a group–(nicely) re-approach your chief with a plan on how to get a junior program up and running. Reach out to the senior firefighters and determine who would be willing to be an advisor for this new program. Yep, it will be more work and all the stuff your chief whined about; however, there’s a good chance that a solid junior program may be able to help your chief (and department) find a little less to whine about and a little more to be proud of in the future.