Why Does the Older Firefighter Have a Problem with Juniors/Explorers?

in my company there r very few firefighters that like the junior program is that the same in every company or jus mine and how come kids say stuff about us calling us wanna bes if they only really new how much we doo ....

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the prob is juniors think they know everything and dont wanna listen when the older people are trying to teach them things.. they think they dont have to learn cause they can do it all...but the older ones have to tell them listen up, you have to start listening and learning these things, because the younger ones are goin to be the ones in charge in the future when the older ones quit/retire..
So you guys are working hard to prove yourselves and a few ol pharts are bothering to annoy you. At that point, which ones are the greatest assets to the service? You got it ! Keep up the good work and remember what kind of senior member you dont want to become. Also remember: You will never go in alone and you will never come out alone. Viaje con Dios.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that none of you can spell of use proper grammar.
I have a problem with the other juniors who dont take this seriously, and think its just a extra curricular activity or something.
NEWS FLASH,
FIRE IS REAL. PAY ATTENTION IN TRAINING
Hey man i now what it is like i was in your position and just hang in their you will soon get the respect you should get just do what your told and it will work out . Like i said i was in your position but now i am considered one of the best just hang in their
It is not a matter of having a problem. The thing I have seen and have dealt with from day one is the fact when you have junior firefighters or explores it is the same as with a probie. They tend to think they know it all. I am not saying it is with everyone but there is a vast majority of them who do. Think about the old salty dog, he has been around the block on more than one occasion and to have someone come in and try to tell them how it is, well me personally I would like the older generation take offense to it.
I am not saying they are all bad, there is a lot that the old crows still need to learn just like the younger pups.
They have always said and I am a firm believer that if you want respect you have to give respect. Earn your keep, show them you are on the ball and willing. Show them that you are a person they wanna take under their wings and it will happen, all in due time
In our fire department the senior guys like to pick on us and call us names but its all in good fun. Stay around long enough and they will get to know you and you will get to know them. And who knows maybe you might just get along after all.
i'm sure this has been stated but Firefighting is not a hobby, it's not a social club, We really do rely on each other. and you have to have confidence, trust and respect for one another. The new guys get teased or "tested" in many ways, It a business about being tough, and tough comes in many different flavors. You need to put aside the personal feelings, it's not about you, it's about the team. more than anything you'll ever be part of. And this is the first lesson in being a firefighter. If you just keep your mouth shut work hard, learn , and participate, people will notice, and slowly you will be more excepted to the group. i started as a junior, 17 yrs ago, currently i'm a line officer and traing officer for the dept i serve. when i first started , there were guys that "didn' t want kids in the dept." but after 12 yrs on that dept, when i left alot of those same guy's were sad to see me leave, (others ecstatic!) keep your chins up , and prove you belong.
Remember all us old guy's know excactly how valuable you are to the dept. many of us started in your same shoes.
yea. we ahve the same problem in our company. either they love or they hate the program.

i just think they r jealous cuz they didnt have the program
I haven't read through all the replies so I apologize if I'm saying something that has already been said.

Some older guys may resent the young whippersnappers who show up all ready to rock & roll with adrenalin & hormones all through the roof. Some of the youngsters do not have the maturity & respect needed for the job (Now I'm not saying all are like that).

There is also alot of baggage to overcome. Teenagers are in a constant struggle with school, family, friends, peer pressure and what not. They do not have the life experience to manage time, think safety first, follow command, keep confidentiality and ect.

Juniors/explorers need to realize the importance and significance of the fire service. Heck, we have to content with adults who join that are not able to grasp that concept too.

Another reason some of the older guys may be hard on you is that it is just the initiation ritual that is tradition in many fire houses. Some will test your mental strength and stamina by being hard on you. If you are able to withstand all the criticism and tasks thrown at you then once you cross that line you will be accepted with open arms. Remember, while there may be alot of fun and comardarie in the fire dept, when it comes down to it the fire service is a very dangerous job. We have to constantly be aware and protect our safety and the safety of our team. The other members of the department needs to know that they can trust you with their life and vice versa. The trust building (especially with a junior) will take time to build and earn.

Best of luck to you.

John
Very well put John
We use to have explorers at our station till the city did not want to pay for there insurance so we had to let them go. We had 2 explorers 3 yrs ago before that happened that are now paid FF and working for the same city that did not want them. When the city got rid of our 3 boys that were our recent explorers they were all 17 and had been doing a great job and new enough through training on drill night every Monday night that you could pretty much depend on them on a scene to help. Its a good thing to have them they just need to learn and not get out of control and act like what they are FF. We would like to have some but the city wont let us anymore for financial reasons. Hang in there guys youll make it if its want you want to do. We all seem to forget that we were there once with the same dream. Stay safe.

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