Develop a Junior Program Oversight Committee

Junior Firefighter and EMS programs can provide a wide range of concrete and personal benefits to Emergency Service Organizations.  They can help with routine duties, including public fire/life safety education and other prevention activities, ancillary functions on the emergency scene and other department activities. The program provides opportunities for community and public relations, as well as outlets for personal satisfaction for those adult members who choose to work with the groups.  Many cadets progress through these programs to become life – long volunteer members and or choose the career as a profession.

Junior members are usually, by definition, minors although in some cases this may not be true.  Involvement of minors in the Fire and EMS service carries certain risk for safety and potential injury and treatment.  Additionally, allegations of inappropriate behavior both by the adult members/leaders and juniors alike and care and custody concerns can create incidents of possible litigation, public perception risk and criminal charges.  Risk control measures in this area include but are not limited to, leader/officer training, policy development, background checks/screening and departmental administrative oversight.

During a recent risk control consulting visit at your department it was noted that several active junior programs are in place.  VFIS feels that your organization has reached a point that an oversight committee would be appropriate to standardize the programs. Committee goals would be to create standard guidelines for each stand-alone program as well as discuss ways to increase participation for the departments and junior member recruitment.

Additional Resources

• Guidelines and Best Practices for a Successful Youth Fire Program
• SOG Sample - Junior Member Program
• Junior Membership Programs
• Junior Member Program Policy Outline
• Conducting Junior Fire and EMS Camps