Junior firefighter
Encyclopedia
Junior firefighting is a youth activity mostly organized by fire department
s. It serves as a means of personal development for the youths, as well as a recruiting pool for the fire departments.
Junior firefighter programs give young people the chance to learn about local fire, rescue, and emergency medical services response organizations in a safe, controlled, educational, and fun way while providing departments with an excellent recruitment mechanism. Reaching out to people when they are young has long-range effects, and encouraging youth to take part in the emergency services is extremely beneficial to local communities and departments. Benefits of junior firefighter programs include:
Training activities allow the teenagers to gain firefighting and emergency service
experience.
Typical activities practicing firefighting techniques, communication using radios, practicing first aid
, maintaining firefighting gear, firefighting drills, and responding to emergency calls.
, it is organized through the YFA - Young Firefighter Association.
In Germany, Jugendfeuerwehr in Austria Feuerwehrjugend is for youths from 10 to 18 years. In most German states, they are not allowed to take part in real emergencies until their 16th or 18th birthday, when they may join the regular fire department.
In Australia
, state based volunteer bush firefighting organizations run cadet programs.
The French fire service
also features a youth program.
In United States
, the Fire Service Exploring
is a program offered by Learning for Life
, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America
. The National Volunteer Fire Council
offers the National Junior Firefighter Program, a national umbrella program for all youth firefighting programs, including Explorers, cadets, and junior firefighters.
In the Netherlands, the Jeugdbrandweer is for the youth from 12 to 18 years. After that you can join the real Brandweer, or in english Fire Brigade. Many fire stations in the netherlands have their own junior firefighter section. They are playing matches en tournaments against other junior firefighter sections from other fire stations. It's a tradition to camp with the junior firefighter sections in the summer. This happens with other junior firefighter sections, and even with junior firefighter sections from different countries.
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
s. It serves as a means of personal development for the youths, as well as a recruiting pool for the fire departments.
Junior firefighter programs give young people the chance to learn about local fire, rescue, and emergency medical services response organizations in a safe, controlled, educational, and fun way while providing departments with an excellent recruitment mechanism. Reaching out to people when they are young has long-range effects, and encouraging youth to take part in the emergency services is extremely beneficial to local communities and departments. Benefits of junior firefighter programs include:
- Allowing youth to gain insight and interest in becoming long-term members of the emergency services
- Increasing awareness among youth about volunteering and supporting the fire and emergency services
- Providing departments with additional help in accomplishing non-firefighting or non-emergency tasks
- Leadership development for America's youth, who are tomorrow's leaders
- Educating parents and mentors on the importance of encouraging volunteerism
Training activities allow the teenagers to gain firefighting and emergency service
Emergency service
Emergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
experience.
Typical activities practicing firefighting techniques, communication using radios, practicing first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, maintaining firefighting gear, firefighting drills, and responding to emergency calls.
National groups
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, it is organized through the YFA - Young Firefighter Association.
In Germany, Jugendfeuerwehr in Austria Feuerwehrjugend is for youths from 10 to 18 years. In most German states, they are not allowed to take part in real emergencies until their 16th or 18th birthday, when they may join the regular fire department.
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, state based volunteer bush firefighting organizations run cadet programs.
The French fire service
Sapeur-pompier
The fire service in France is known as Sapeurs-pompiers, except in Marseille, where naval "sailor-firefighters", marins-pompiers, provide fire and rescue services.There are two categories:...
also features a youth program.
In United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Fire Service Exploring
Fire Service Exploring
Fire Service Exploring is one of the career-oriented programs offered by Learning for Life, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America....
is a program offered by Learning for Life
Learning for Life
Learning for Life is a United States school and work-site based youth program that is a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America. It utilizes programs designed for schools and community-based organizations that are designed to prepare youth for the complexities of contemporary society and to...
, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
. The National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council is the leading 501 nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services...
offers the National Junior Firefighter Program, a national umbrella program for all youth firefighting programs, including Explorers, cadets, and junior firefighters.
In the Netherlands, the Jeugdbrandweer is for the youth from 12 to 18 years. After that you can join the real Brandweer, or in english Fire Brigade. Many fire stations in the netherlands have their own junior firefighter section. They are playing matches en tournaments against other junior firefighter sections from other fire stations. It's a tradition to camp with the junior firefighter sections in the summer. This happens with other junior firefighter sections, and even with junior firefighter sections from different countries.
External links
- CTIF - International association of fire and rescue service: CTIF Youth Leader Commission
- DJF - German young firefighters association
- NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program - U.S. program for junior firefighter and cadet programs