Post by admin on May 31, 2007 5:05:26 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2007/0531/Front_Page/033.html
Fire Department begins to recruit junior firefighters
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - If you are between the ages of 16 and 18, the Freehold Fire Department wants you.
Fire officials in Freehold Borough are looking for a way to help the fire department increase its volunteer membership, hold on to tradition and keep youngsters off the streets and in a place where they can be of service to others.
The solution? A junior firefighter program.
Representatives of the fire department will hold an open house and information session about the junior firefighter program for all those interested on June 3 from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m. at the firehouse next to Borough Hall, West Main Street.
When Chief Bill Maushardt was sworn in to his position one year ago, he said part of his five-year plan was to address declining membership in the fire department.
In pursuing that goal, he decided to revisit a junior firefighter program which was created 12 years ago but never took off. The program allowed 16-year-olds who are interested in the fire department to train and become members.
Maushardt brought the idea to a Borough Council meeting and received approval to proceed. He formed an advisory committee of veteran and younger firefighters to research the idea. The committee members are fire department Capt. Chris Barkalow, Mitch Shatz, Chris Guy, Adam Keaney, Steve Sheehan, Mike Sweet and Donald Rue.
Maushardt said the current junior firefighter recruitment effort will follow the guidelines that were set down more than a decade ago.
"We're looking for volunteers and if we get volunteers at a younger age it will keep them out of trouble," said Barkalow, 25.
Barkalow said the junior firefighters will be supervised by veteran firefighters and will never be put in harm's way. Safety for the young recruits will be of the utmost importance, he said, explaining that teenagers will not accompany firefighters on calls to which hazardous materials technicians respond, nor will they be taken on any calls outside of the borough.
He said each junior firefighter will complete a supervised orientation period of about six months. After that the junior firefighters will be permitted to ride on fire calls in town. The junior firefighters will receive training that includes hooking up equipment, basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
According to Barkalow, the junior firefighters will only be able to respond to fire calls after school until 9:30 p.m. and they must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0.
Barkalow, who works as a firefighter in Asbury Park, and Guy, 21, recently visited Freehold High School. They were permitted to distribute fliers about the junior firefighter program and to answer questions from students.
Maushardt is hoping to obtain a grant that would be used to purchase equipment of the junior firefighters.
"We are very fortunate to have over 100 firefighters in our department. A lot of departments are not so lucky," said Shatz, 26. "But volunteers are a dying breed. We're trying to stir up some excitement and love for being a part of the fire department."
For more information call (732) 462-0164.
Fire Department begins to recruit junior firefighters
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - If you are between the ages of 16 and 18, the Freehold Fire Department wants you.
Fire officials in Freehold Borough are looking for a way to help the fire department increase its volunteer membership, hold on to tradition and keep youngsters off the streets and in a place where they can be of service to others.
The solution? A junior firefighter program.
Representatives of the fire department will hold an open house and information session about the junior firefighter program for all those interested on June 3 from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m. at the firehouse next to Borough Hall, West Main Street.
When Chief Bill Maushardt was sworn in to his position one year ago, he said part of his five-year plan was to address declining membership in the fire department.
In pursuing that goal, he decided to revisit a junior firefighter program which was created 12 years ago but never took off. The program allowed 16-year-olds who are interested in the fire department to train and become members.
Maushardt brought the idea to a Borough Council meeting and received approval to proceed. He formed an advisory committee of veteran and younger firefighters to research the idea. The committee members are fire department Capt. Chris Barkalow, Mitch Shatz, Chris Guy, Adam Keaney, Steve Sheehan, Mike Sweet and Donald Rue.
Maushardt said the current junior firefighter recruitment effort will follow the guidelines that were set down more than a decade ago.
"We're looking for volunteers and if we get volunteers at a younger age it will keep them out of trouble," said Barkalow, 25.
Barkalow said the junior firefighters will be supervised by veteran firefighters and will never be put in harm's way. Safety for the young recruits will be of the utmost importance, he said, explaining that teenagers will not accompany firefighters on calls to which hazardous materials technicians respond, nor will they be taken on any calls outside of the borough.
He said each junior firefighter will complete a supervised orientation period of about six months. After that the junior firefighters will be permitted to ride on fire calls in town. The junior firefighters will receive training that includes hooking up equipment, basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
According to Barkalow, the junior firefighters will only be able to respond to fire calls after school until 9:30 p.m. and they must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0.
Barkalow, who works as a firefighter in Asbury Park, and Guy, 21, recently visited Freehold High School. They were permitted to distribute fliers about the junior firefighter program and to answer questions from students.
Maushardt is hoping to obtain a grant that would be used to purchase equipment of the junior firefighters.
"We are very fortunate to have over 100 firefighters in our department. A lot of departments are not so lucky," said Shatz, 26. "But volunteers are a dying breed. We're trying to stir up some excitement and love for being a part of the fire department."
For more information call (732) 462-0164.