24 replies to this topic

[LAD23DER]

This is a topic to talk about junior/cadet/explorer firefighting, law enforcement and EMS. I saw something like this on the Firehouse.com forums and decided to start one here. Use this to ask questions, and talk about your experiences, etc.

[JrFF34]

Im a junior firefighter, been on my fire company for about 3 years. I also just started a few months ago as a EMS Cadet so I could get ready to do my EMT course and the squad would pay for it. 

[EmergencyFan97]

Cadet at an EMS agency in South Carolina for about a year now.  Starting a firefighting course in August, and would join a junior FF program, but the closest department with anything like that is 20 minutes away, too far to respond.

[LAD23DER]

Im in my first year at my local department. We train, help out around the station and sometimes respond to calls with the crew.

[Ace]

What's the age requirements for cadets for ems and fire? My local department doesn't have a cadet program...Only reserves and you need to be 18 to join which disappoints me since the actual recruitment is from 18. Talking police

[LAD23DER]

What's the age requirements for cadets for ems and fire? My local department doesn't have a cadet program...Only reserves and you need to be 18 to join which disappoints me since the actual recruitment is from 18. Talking police

http://exploring.learningforlife.org/
Around 13-14 usually

[Fred03]

My department is so small we use Juniors as firefghters, they can't perform entry or drive the trucks but they do all the rest of the stuff we do. The are actually more dependable than the "Seniors" as they are a lot more likley to respond to calls.

[EmergencyFan97]

15 for my program.

[TacticalRooster22]

Mine is 15, I was able to get on when I was 14.

[LAD23DER]

Does anyone do ridealongs?

[EmergencyFan97]

Pretty much all we do.

[erfd]

Explorers is an awesome program. Its where I started and now I've just been offered a job as a part-time FF/EMT and had all my ff1, ff2, EMT, haz-mat technician, and inspector training paid for before I turned 18.

 

I was actually on two departments. One was a volunteer and we only trained and the other was a combination full-time/part-time department as a fire student.

 

Being a fire student is more like being a probie fire fighter in terms of what we can do which allowed me in some IDLH environments such as car fires, CO Alarms, etc. I learned so much from awesome fire fighters and am proud to have been offered a position with them and hopefully am able to give another person the same opportunity.

 

The biggest advice I can give to other explorers and students is get involved and ask questions. When on scene do what they ask and learn protocols. They will be very impressed and treat you more like a crew member if you work hard. 

[JrFF34]

What's the age requirements for cadets for ems and fire? My local department doesn't have a cadet program...Only reserves and you need to be 18 to join which disappoints me since the actual recruitment is from 18. Talking police

 

For EMS in my area, its 15 years old .. but each First Aid squad has different requirements.. Some require you to have certain ICS/NIMS certs and Basic First Aid and then you can't ride to calls until your 16.. But my squad you can ride at 15 years old as long as you have youre CPR card.

 

Fire on the other hand is usually 14 years old .. Many departments do not allow you to ride to calls but you can do alot of hands on training. On my dept, i ride to calls (but i stay with the truck and the driver usually) and ill drill around the station usually on drill night. 

 

I've been thinking about doing police explorers also, but I'm not sure right now.

[TacticalRooster22]

We are allowed to ride the trucks, but we don't have a ride along program.  I guess, in other words, sit at the station if you're bored and if a call comes in, GO!

 

But now, we're not really allowed to just "show up."  On a large incident, we can get a group of explorers together and head to the scene if we want.

[LAD23DER]

Yeah, pretty much same for us.

[Newfoundking]

You know, we don't have anything at all like that here. I mean, if you're in a scouting group or whatever, any of the emergency stations will be happy to show you around and what not, I mean in the past six months, I've spent a good solid month of nights in the station with these kids showin em around and explaining what we do, but there's no program where they actually learn. The closet I can actually think of is groups like scouts and what not will come up with half a dozen or so of the guys from my squad and we'll run em through basic stuff on what we do, from techniques to the cool stuff, like boats and he-los. But that's only like a week up at a camp. 

 

From what I've seen, these types of cadet things are very common in the states, but not so much here. We do have Army/Sea/Air cadets, but no emergency services... Thoughts?

[JrFF34]

You know, we don't have anything at all like that here. I mean, if you're in a scouting group or whatever, any of the emergency stations will be happy to show you around and what not, I mean in the past six months, I've spent a good solid month of nights in the station with these kids showin em around and explaining what we do, but there's no program where they actually learn. The closet I can actually think of is groups like scouts and what not will come up with half a dozen or so of the guys from my squad and we'll run em through basic stuff on what we do, from techniques to the cool stuff, like boats and he-los. But that's only like a week up at a camp. 

 

From what I've seen, these types of cadet things are very common in the states, but not so much here. We do have Army/Sea/Air cadets, but no emergency services... Thoughts?

 

We have a Sea Cadet program here in the States. Its through the navy. Theres also a Civil Air Patrol program which is basically Auxiliary for the Air Force, but they have a cadet program. Fire Explorer programs are common here, but they are very different in each state. I know in New Jersey, they're pretty strict with what we can do. But other states, you can basically put out a fire as long as you're not inside the house itself. I kinda wish I lived in New York because the FDNY has an explorer program. It's pretty cool because they actually give out ranks, Like I know a kid who is a Lt. for the explorers. 

[Engine81]

I am a Cadet for the LAFD. We get to ride out to any emergency and we even get to work at a structure fire if we get one. We throw ladders, lay supply lines, and make entry using forcible entry tools. Any of you guys get to do this kind of stuff?

[erfd]

FDNY wouldn't be all that great. Most explorers don't have gear and most of the posts aren't based out of stations but local community buildings. You are better of at a department that gets you involved in operations and training with fire personnel if you really want to be a fire fighter.

 

 

I am a Cadet for the LAFD. We get to ride out to any emergency and we even get to work at a structure fire if we get one. We throw ladders, lay supply lines, and make entry using forcible entry tools. Any of you guys get to do this kind of stuff?

 

 That's like my department. We are on shift with crews and get to operate as part of the crew. We train, run calls, eat, sleep, workout, etc. everything with the crew. It really is awesome for upcoming recruits like myself. It really gives 99% taste of what it is about. Can do everything except go into a total IDLH or a similar situation (ie. Vertical Ventilation, etc.)

[LAD23DER]

Yeah, there are tons of different programs too, like you can see on this website http://exploring.learningforlife.org


/

You know, we don't have anything at all like that here. I mean, if you're in a scouting group or whatever, any of the emergency stations will be happy to show you around and what not, I mean in the past six months, I've spent a good solid month of nights in the station with these kids showin em around and explaining what we do, but there's no program where they actually learn. The closet I can actually think of is groups like scouts and what not will come up with half a dozen or so of the guys from my squad and we'll run em through basic stuff on what we do, from techniques to the cool stuff, like boats and he-los. But that's only like a week up at a camp. 
 
From what I've seen, these types of cadet things are very common in the states, but not so much here. We do have Army/Sea/Air cadets, but no emergency services... Thoughts?