Explorers’ participant wears authentic firefighter protective gear.
by June Portnoy
If you have children, it’s very likely that at some point they’ve told you that they want to become a firefighter when they grow up. So maybe it’s time to give them the chance when they’re still young to see for themselves if this career is truly for them.
And that’s exactly what the Morrisville Fire Company has done by recently launching its Firefighter Explorers Program!
This program is an outgrowth of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and Learning for Life, a subsidiary of BSA. The Explorers Program offers activities, mentorship, and training to help young people learn about career fields, and in the case of the Morrisville Fire Company, to learn about becoming a firefighter. The Morrisville Fire Company is the only fire company in Bucks County to implement this national program.
“Our Explorer Program is open to boys and girls 14 to 18 years old located anywhere in Bucks County, ” explained Tom DeShields, Morrisville Fire Company’s Explorer Program Chairperson, also a volunteer firefighter at this company for over 50 years. “Kids in this age group are looking for hands-on activities that they can get excited about like spraying water from a real firehose and climbing real fire service ladders.”
While practicing their drills, Explorers wear authentic firefighter protective gear, such as a helmet, gloves, and safety goggles. Tom described how these young people look forward to putting on firefighter air packs.
Although the Explorers find this program to be very enjoyable, it also involves serious training very similar to how real firefighters are taught their trade. Explorers learn basic firefighting skills (fire suppression, fire prevention, EMS/first aid, etc.). Then they practice basic firefighting and rescue techniques necessary for auto accidents, rope rescues, marine rescues, and technical rescues.
Other activities during this program include watching police demonstrations and learning about the 911 dispatch center, the Bucks County special operation teams and the Bucks County fire marshals.
“Our hope is that by exposing these young people to firefighting at a young age, they might channel their efforts toward a career as a volunteer or a paid firefighter,” explained Tom.
“Once fully trained, one is eligible to become a firefighter by age 18. “Volunteer firefighters are dwindling, so we would love to see some of these Explorers ultimately become volunteer firefighters at the Morrisville Fire Company or at a fire company in the surrounding area.”
Tom, who has put out hundreds of fires and saved lives working as a volunteer firefighter, said that “being a firefighter gives you a feeling of community pride and satisfaction knowing you have the ability to help your community members when they need you the most.”
So, if your teenage children tell you they are dreaming about becoming a firefighter when they grow up, now might be the time to transform their dream into a reality.
The Firefighters Explorers meet the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Morrisville Fire Company, located at 528 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Morrisville. This program is ongoing throughout the year. For more information, email info@morrisville98.com.