Junior firefighter

Junior firefighting is a youth activity in participating fire departments (usually Volunteer Stations.) throughout the United States, and also in the UK, through the YFA - Young Firefighter Association.

The junior fire service has many names, such as Junior Fire Corps, Cadet Firefighting, or Explorer Scouts in the United States. Junior firefighters are usually 14 to 17 years old and are not permitted to enter any dangerous situation unless specified by state laws or have a certain amount of training hours in. Junior firefighters work as a support unit of a fire department.

Training activities allow junior firefighters to gain firefighting and emergency service experience without exposing them to the hazards faced on a real emergency scene. Junior firefighters can enter simulated structure fires once primary suppresion efforts are completed, (unless states various child labor laws disapprove), practice firefighting techniques using ladders, hoses, and tools, communicate using radios, and practice other important skills as well. In most fire companies, junior firefighters are permitted to ride on fire apparatus as long as enough seats are available.

In addition to company or department drills, junior firefighters can take state-certification courses and complete most training required to have an essentials module completed, thereby making them ready to undertake the greater challenge of a Firefighter 1 certification when they turn 18. In some areas of Maryland and Pennsylvania the Junior Firefighting period ends at 16, at which time the former junior becomes eligible take Firefighter 1 and HAZMAT Ops classes and become eligible to ride the apparatus. In some areas of New Jersey they are allowed to join at the age of 14.

On real emergency calls, junior firefighters can establish water supply from a fire hydrant, and establish an accountability system to keep track of firefighters in the fire building or other hazardous location. Once they have received sufficient training, junior firefighters can attack brush fires using a booster line. Junior firefighters are permitted to repack firehose and clean equipment after calls.

Junior firefighters frequently undertake custodial chores around the fire station and are enlisted to assist in company work periods.

Junior firefighters are equipped with a firefighting coat, bunker pants, gloves, safety glasses, Nomex hood, and a helmet which has some notation of involvement with the junior fire corps, typically with a different color helmet (such as green, black, orange,yellow, blue or red) or a notation on the shield of a leather helmet which is orange, green, yellow, or blue or otherwise labeled. Usually it is the removable letter J on the side of the helmet.

Some junior programs make provisions for junior officers. These allow youth in the program to gain firsthand fire service leadership experince. Typically, two positions are delegated. One is either the junior chief or junior captain, which is the highest rank. This person is responsible for planning all junior events and for handling all internal junior affairs. The second position, typically called the junior lieutenant, is a subordinate of the chief or captain and will handle other tasks not dealt with by the chief or captain. The junior officers are generally elected by members of the program and are designated on the fireground with a modification to the junior helmet, generally and addition of white to the regular junior color.

In a continuing US legal battle following the line-of-duty death of Christopher Kangas, a junior firefighter in the Brookhaven Fire Company in Pennsylvania, family and firefighters from Brookhaven 52 are fighting so that all Juniors are recognized as firefighters, to be eligible to receive federal death benefits, as well as have the highest honor bestowed upon them, to have their names added to the Firefighters Memorial in Maryland.

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