HARRISBURG, Pa. — In an effort to attract more volunteer firefighters, Pennsylvania lawmakers are working to pass a bill to improve junior firefighting training.
The action comes amid a massive decline in the numbers of people joining volunteer fire companies, which make up two thirds of all firefighters, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council.
In 1975, Pennsylvania had about 360,000 volunteer firefighters, according to the council. In recent years that number has fallen to around 36,000 to 38,000—a 90 percent decrease.
Fire companies are trying to build a pipeline of young firefighters by training high school students as junior firefighters.
Kids as young as 14 can sign up for junior firefighting programs, but are mostly limited to training, basic first aid and clean up after fires are put out. At age 16 they can begin the training courses needed to certify as a professional firefighter. The final training, Interior Firefighting Module with Live Burns, is limited to those 18 and older.
Fire chiefs said waiting until the students are 18 forces the training to compete with other time commitments that come after graduating high school.
“They’re off to college, able to drive and all the other things that come along with life as you get older. So the benefit here would be they get the training at a younger age and are ready to go,” said John Fogg, Chief of Colonial Park Fire Company.
HB 2268 would lower the minimum age of that training to 17. That would allow high schoolers to complete their training and be ready to start working as firefighters as soon as they graduate.
The bill was introduced by State Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland), who himself volunteered as a junior firefighter in high school.
“I kind of got my community service start working for Jefferson Service Fire Company as a kid, as a junior firefighter,” Ecker said. “So that’s what my passion is for juniors; that’s why I’ve got that interest.”
Fire chiefs support the measure, saying even one extra year of training could make a difference in the number of qualified volunteer firefighters.
“If they would lower the age to 17 that would help a lot because when they’re going through the mods they could complete the whole course and be ready,” said Landisburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief Carl Nace.
Fire chiefs recognize that junior firefighters are still minors. There would still be restrictions under the bill, as both fire chiefs and parents of the trainees would have to give permission for advanced training like going inside burning structures.
“I think giving younger people a little additional responsibility will help them mature a little bit quicker so they understand the importance of stuff,” said Douglas Snyder, chief of the Millersburg Fire Company.
Separate versions of the bill have passed in both the state House and Senate. The legislature must now choose which one to send to the governor to be signed.