The Junior firefighter program gives 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 ex
tremely 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 experience. Typical activities practicing firefighting techniques, communication using radios, practicing first aid, maintaining firefighting gear, firefighting drills, and responding to emergency calls.
