Hello. Need some help my department is tring to get a Junior Firefighters Asso. started and I need some helpon this. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. Just a few do they responed with emergency lights, responed to calls after midnight, responed to calls in POV's are do they go to station first This is just few things I'm having some issues with.
Hey heather the best info you can get is if you have a boy scouts post in your area they have programs that lay out all the rules and cover insurance problems have any q's contact me
Heather,
For the most part, I just copied and pasted my answer as this question sort of appeared on another post. What I will add, though is my own opinion. Do not allow your juniors do respond to emergency scenes and do not allow them to use any blue, red or whatever color lights to respond with. Juniors lack the experience of driving under most conditions, let alone adverse and unsafe ones as emergency scenes can get. Having stated that, here is what I posted. If all goes well, by the time these ffs reach 18, they may have their EMT and FF1 and/or FF2 certs.
First off, check with your school system and state labor department as to the age limitations of your juniors/explorers and if they need what we call here, work permits. We start our Jrs. off at 16 y/o. They can participate in basic firefighting training except for live burns. They can learn CPR and 1st Aid. In PA, at 16, they can learn to be and get certified as an EMT. We state that our Jrs. have a C average throughout high school as part of their membership requirements. They train just like us,otherwise. They don't ride first due apparatus,generally. As long as it does not interfere with school hours, they get to support us on the fire ground, within reason and according to their training level. I can send you a copy of our Jr. FF SOGs, if you'd like them. Feel free to e-mail me at ffanjemt2@msn.com.
Good luck !
Andy
Permalink Reply by John on January 30, 2009 at 2:54pm
Hey,
here's my department's reg's.
Age: 14-18 once you turn 18 you are considered a full FF.
Training: 14-16 They do in house training
16-18 They can go to fire school
Call: They can go on all call's execept MVA
While at the call we can do anything a regular FF can do exectpet going into a burning building, Aka "Hot Zone".
Grade: You must have a min C average.
Responding: I'm not sure how there allowed to respond to the station or scene.
Best thing to do is get a copy of your child labor laws. They have the times that the juniors are allowed to respond and also if you want you can also limit the times also so you do not have kids skipping school and going to calls.
If I recall juniors are not allowed to operate high pressure hoses, climb ladders, or use SCBA'S on the fire ground, but are allowed to do so in training as long as it is not a live fire training class.
The child labor laws should lay it out for you.
We do not let our juniors us lights on POV'S but the can respond with the engine or on the brush truck when it is used to haul personnel to the fire scenes.
No, No,No and No....They are NOT Firefighters and do not need "emergency lights", nor do they respond to calls....I don't think the insurance would cover the department if Jr gets hurt or worse yet killed at a fire....I'm sorry if I seem crude or careless...BUT, this is not a game....people sometimes DO get hurt and even killed...it is not a place for the ilinformed or untrained....heck, I am trained and sometimes wonder what the hell I got myself into....Use the program like the explorers/scouts do, learn the craft, practice the training, do the drills....there is a lot of cruelty in life and you really don't need to experience it at an MVA at that age.....I'm sorry if I hurt any feelings or burst anyone's bubble...this is just my look at the issue.....Stay safe and always remember to Keep the Faith...Paul
Permalink Reply by Marc on January 30, 2009 at 4:33pm
Hey,
In Los Angeles City Fire Department
Our Explorers have to go threw Certifiction before riding out. Certification includes Engine inventory and 3 drills (PPE's, Scene Safety, and a tool).
We do this so that the Explorers know where everything is and how to use it.
Explorer MUST ride out at there post station for their first 250 hrs, then they may ride out at another station, as long as they have permission from the station commander/Capt.
After 450 hours the Explorer may get certified on another apparatus, (truck, pump, BLS ambulance)
Explorers are allowed to rideout when ever they want, as long as they get permission from the shift 48 hours in advance.
hope this helps
Explorer Capt. Marc Hurwitz
Los Angeles City Fire Dept. (LAFD)
I am a Lt. of one explorer post and a Jr. firefighter in another. The boy scouts run the Exploring Asso. There rules and restrictions can be found at (http://www.learning-for-life.org/exploring/fire/). These rules were made up by the boy scouts but if you dont want to go through the boy scouts and be a non-official post and make your own rules and restrictions then thats good too. Hope I was some help to you. Message me anytime for more help or suggestions.
West Haven Jr. Firefighter Lt.
Anthony (Tony) Mancini
our JR firefighters are relatively new for our dept so far they train along side with us. We do not allow them drive any fire vehicles. On scene we put them to work helping with scba and during the overhaul or hot spots we put them on a hose with a firefighter also when on scene the have firefighter that is assigned to their safety. I myself enjoy being assigned to a JR it gives a chance to show them a scene up close and teaching them to look up down and around all the time. One thing i would like to see and would suggest then when JRs on fire ground they should be in a scba or respirator all the time. Due to the fact smoke has claimed a lot firefighters lives over time of being around smoke and i am consrened about they're young lungs also you dont know what people have in their homes. I would hate risk they're futures due to someone house burning with pot or meth in it. Just something to think about
We do not allow them to respond after 10 pm on school night and not after 11 pm on weekends, also they must keep a gpa of 2.0 or better. If they don't meet the 2.0 they are not allowed to be involved until their next report card. They can respond on any rig as long as there is a seat, if a regular ff comes in they must give up the seat and wait for the next rig out. I would not allow them to respond to the scene in their pov.
All that being said they can be a great asset to your department. They are limited to what they can do on scene, however you can always use an extra set of hands to, change bottles, hit hydrants and fetch tools. Your also helping keep the kid occupied and busy. There are so many things out here that a kid can learn at that age by hanging with the wrong crowd, this is giving them a chance to hang out with a good crowd and they help their neighborhood. Good luck with your companies decision on this.
Age: 14-18
Training: 14-15 are juniors they do in-house training ONLY and all meeting except officers meetings.
once you turn 16 you can go to fire school ; but 17-18 you're considered a 'active' crew member after a year on 'probation', and a full FF.
Call: they could respond to the station, just not on the calls unless their 16+ with the appropriate fire schooling.
Grade: You must have a min C average.
Responding: only to the station, can respond on a school night [if parents let them], but can not go on scene w/o fire training at the states fire school.