Several weeks ago I heard about another education program for young people in the Valley and thought we should check it out.

So, this past week I met with Chief Ed Laird of the Springboro Fire Department and, although the main purpose of our discussion was the Junior Fireman program, I was interested in Mr. Laird’s story as well because his record of service to the Valley is important to note.

Immediately upon high school graduation in 1983 Mr. Laird was heading to Seattle, Washington, for an interview at a fire station but due to automobile difficulty, he never made it out of the area. Twenty-nine years later he continues to serve right here in Conneaut Valley. Four and a half years ago he was elected Chief. Now with a large portfolio of certifications and training behind him, he takes seriously recruitment and training of the next generation of volunteer emergency responders.

Currently the Springboro Fire Department has 37 active members including three Emergency Medical Service (EMS), five Fire Police, and nine hold the position of Junior Fireman.

Maybe you, like I, thought “Junior Fireman” was a term meaning “kids who hang around the fire station” but this notion was quickly dispelled when I learned the standards necessary to achieve this distinction.

It is important to note that both males and females fourteen years old or older are eligible to train for this position. All volunteers are placed in a ninety day probation period with the first priority of “indicate a true interest” guiding the remainder of the requirements.

Secondly, putting on the required turnout gear or “bunker” under sixty seconds is followed by the first of many certifications required by the state for emergency personnel.

A Junior Fireman must pass the Basic Firemanship Class to receive their Certificate of Training as well as a CPR and First Aid class prior to receiving their own turnout gear. Beyond these initial certifications, Hazardous Material, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Exterior Fire, Interior Fire, Incident Command Systems and many more have become the standard for the volunteer as well as paid emergency responders.

I asked two of the nine Junior Firemen if these requirements surprised them or put them off and both assured me they understood it as part of the job.

From the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner’s website it is noted that Pennsylvania is the birthplace of the volunteer fire service in North America. Additionally, the Commonwealth has the largest number of fire departments in the nation, and is a national leader in the number of career and paid personnel providing emergency service.

From the National Volunteer Fire Council to the National Incident Management System, training and certifications are required for increasingly critical emergency preparedness standardization across the U. S. Although state funding is available for training, ever increasing follow up on the distribution of these funds is necessary to ensure the competence of those being trained.

This brings us back to the subject at hand; those being trained. Although a Junior Fireman’s responsibility is fundamentally to “fetch and carry” outside on the ground, I was assured they had been drilled on what each piece of equipment is used for and where it is stored, truck usage, knowledge of cleaning their gear, and more.

Admittedly, this is where younger volunteers have trouble staying interested – the repetitive drilling of knowledge.

However, enthusiasm from this group was evident. I met 15 year old Matt Monda who led his group of sixteen students during training at Slippery Rock, Justin Garlick (16) whose father and uncle have served as volunteers as well, Sam Smith (16) who has influenced others to join, Dakota Hays (19) who also works at Rolling Fields, Justine Rowland – the sole female on board, who really hasn’t had a difficult time because of that differentiation, and Roman Fisher (22) still in the probation stage of training and employed at J. N. Pallet Company. If enthusiasm for this endeavor could be certified, all of these volunteers would be at the top of their class!

SIX junior firemen are learning the ins and outs of serving as volunteer firemen at the Springboro Volunteer Fire Department. See Conneaut Valley column this page for details on the requirements, hard work, and commitment it takes to earn the title. The young people will become adult leaders of tomorrow.