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Well, we have received numerous posts about getting and retaining Jr Members/Explorers. We have all read and reread the responces to those forums. So now, let us sit back and ponder all we have read. Now for you Junior's out there who are willing to show up, to train, to go to calls what would make your day more than being asked what would YOU do to get Jr's? Is there a special program YOU have thought of to get the word out? Is there anything that would make it more interesting, and fun for you? No better time than the present to discuss it. :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Thomas White on
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Hey, 913 i am a Junior for a volunteer fire dept. and i am just finishing up my probationary period in a couple of week when i will take my test. Our Junior program allows you to respond to firecalls. And do anything useful on seen but not enter a burning building until i has been relativly stopped. I know from friends that even if the fire is 99% out and the senior officers let the Juniors go in and clean up and make them feel like they are doing something makes all the difference. Teenagers exxagerate to no end so if u let them do a little they will tell their friends that they did a lot so more and more people will get interested in becoming a future fire fighter beacause of that 1 % the Juniors were allowed to do. i also believe giving a beeper to a junior gives them great ecxitment and will give them alot of encouragment.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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I agree with you. Having a junior/explorer program that allows the juniors to participate in training and some aspects of firefighting (hands on not just clean up) while maintaining a safe enviroment will lead to more word of mouth new member applications. I don't think juniors should be allowed to do interior firefighting until they have the proper training and become full members. (age 18) Overhaul is a dangerous job and Juniors can do it (in my opinion) with FULL and Compliant PPE and SCBA (also trained) but it must be done after a thorough inspection of the enviroment is done and with total supervision by qualified officers and members.
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Dangerous. Thats a mystical word in lawyers speak. It has many differant meanings that can all perpetuate to the removal of all junior firefighters nationwide. Riding a fire apparatus even with a seatbelt can be dangerous (what if theres a neck or back injury resulting from a accident). Operating a hose line can be dangerous. (what if the line blows, or the releif valve isn't set right?) At any time we could be at a fireground and the juniors whom are outside the "immediate area" of fire doing support roles could be overcome with a toxic chemical without knowledge of the chemical being there.
My fire department doesn't allow juniors to take part in overhaul practices, and also has the "dangerous clause." I think it does keep them safer, but I also think that those (17 year olds who are trained) who are on the border to making a decision of whether to sticking with volunteer firefighting after high school or to move on could use this boost in the arm (so to speak) and I think that the ammount of retained juniors to active senior members could increase.
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Most definately!!!! One of my DI's on Parris Island said it is amazing that in America you can die for your country in war, and still be to young to vote or buy cigarettes and beer.
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Permalink Reply by Jim Seargent on
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Hey Sean,
I was an explorer in Nassau County N.Y. and we could do almost too much! Whenever there was a L.I.R.R. tie fire we were suddenly approved for suppression. Grab 2 cans and start walking! We would walk for countless miles squirting a little here and there and loved every minute of it! If a kid can do what he loves he will tell everyone how good it is. If you hold him back to much he'll loose interest and tell everyone how bad it is. We received explorer badges. That was the coolest thing in my young life along with the Plectron that kept yanking my pants down. Only the active explorers got the bricks. We had pull boxes and sirens that sounded the code of the box pulled.
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Tie fires were one thing, but when we were walking the tracks with the corner and a body bag picking up pieces of a kid I went to school with after getting creamed by an express train, it was clearly over the line!
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