It was Junior Firefighter weekend at the Wyoming County Fire Training Center on Wethersfield road in Warsaw today. From 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m., Junior Firefighters from Explorer Posts throughout the county were given the opportunity to sharpen their skills in extrication, water supply and EMS.
Bob Conroy, an Advisor with Strykersville Fire and Kyle Meyer, an Advisor for N. Java, organized the training event.
“This is a good way to get everybody involved with each other so they know who their mutual aid could be in the future,” says Meyer.
“Its a good way to better their knowledge of the firefighting service and work side by side with kids their age.”
The Explorer program has been around a few years and is for kids ages 14-20 years old. Once they reach 16 they can start taking State courses then at 18 they can become a full fledged firefighter. They currently can assist on scene, but Junior Firefighters are limited on what they can do.
“There is a lot of aspects to firefighting,” says Conroy, who has been a firefighter for 60 years.
“Its not all grabbing a hose and running a truck, we need members to free up other members so they can go fight the fire.”
Conroy says that fire companies need presidents, vice presidents and treasurers. “The job doesn’t always have to be in the field.”
The Explorer Post 4594 meets monthly, alternating between North Java’s hall and Strykersville each month.
Anyone interested in checking out what the fire service has to offer can stop by at N. Java’s Hall at 4274 Rt. 98 on Monday nights, and at Strykersville Fire at 594 Minkel road on Wednesday night.
Or you can call Bob Conroy at 585-457-9932 or Kyle Meyer at 585-815-5083.
