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Mentoring Programs
Does your dept have a mentor program for new members? We are looking at something like that on my dept and are looking for ideas on how to do it and how everyone has theirs setup so we can try and mold it and make some of the ideas work for our dept.Examples would be how long before a new member can pack up and do interior or drive. We are a smaller volunteer dept running 200-250 calls a year all fire/rescue no EMS.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ronald Lowe on
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A mentorship program is a great tool to develop
your people. There are many benefits that
are gained as a result of this type of program.
My department is in the process of developing
a program for mentoring recruits through the fire
Chief. Be happy to share some ideas with you.
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Permalink Reply by sean marston on
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We have an explorer program though the Boy Scouts that start kids off as early as 12. They are very limited on what they can do, but the scouts cover them under a great insurance. Once they turn 16 they become cadets and can do a lot more. That is when they get really all the basics for there fire 1. Once they turn 18 they become regular members of the fire department. To wear a pack and be interior they need fire 1 cert. and some other smaller classes that we do. We also encourage them to ride with the paid crews as much as possible.
As for new members coming in after they are 18, we are developing a sort of recruit school for them to learn the basics before we spend a ton of money on them for good gear and cert. classes. Generally it's the lieutenants that work and sort of mentor them, but nothing is set in stone about that.
To be a driver again they need at least a fire 1 cert. and a state pump operator cert. to begin a training program. Then they start working on a company level. once the officers feel they are ready they go to the Captain of Training who has his own program to sign them off.
The explorer and cadet programs have paid off great in the long run. It takes a few years to turn over, but when it does you have a group of young fire fighters that aren't really green and have a great grasp on the fire department. Many of them go on to have a fire fighter's resume that is as good or better then a lot of career people, and they turn around to really mentor the younger kids.
We are a combination department, but everyone is held to the same standards for training and is expected to do the same job. many combination departments don't let the vollies do much, but not here.
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