BERKELEY – The cadets who are learning to become firefighters will soon be taking the next step in their training, able to ride firetrucks to calls after being trained to do so.
Bayville Fire Chief John McKay said there have always been kids helping out around the firehouse, eager to learn. Several of the company’s ranking officers even started out as cadets.
Usually, the cadets – or Junior Firefighters – watch and learn, or do tasks like washing the trucks or racking the hoses. With new state legislature, they will be able to ride the trucks after receiving the proper training.
McKay said that currently there are five members who are interested in going further in their firefighting careers.
“They are very excited to do it,” he said.
They are too young to qualify for the fire academy. They must be 18 for that. This next step in training will give them even more tools before they reach the academy.
Certain guidelines must be followed. For example, they won’t be given a pager because pagers aren’t allowed in school. They can’t work 8 p.m. through 8 a.m. They can’t be in dangerous situations.
“We want to protect them as well,” he said.
A few years ago, the state changed its law on what a fire cadet is allowed to do. At the most recent Township Council meeting, the governing body introduced an ordinance that would change the town’s policy to match the state law. There are a number of regulations, and not all of them are presented in this article.
According to the ordinance that was introduced, cadets are 16-18 years old and must get written permission from their parent or guardian. The applicant must be approved by the town. They would be covered by the same kind of insurance that the company gets.
There are safety protocols, preventing the teen from firefighting or handling dangerous materials. They will never be in the firehouse without a firefighter present.
They must get training before riding on fire apparatus. If they are brought to a call, they have to be seatbelted in the cab, in a seated position, wearing turnout gear.
They can perform certain tasks while on a call, provided that they have been trained to do them, but those tasks can’t place them in danger. The cadet can’t take the place of an active firefighter, and they can’t respond to mutual aid calls.
There are rules that they have to follow or else be removed, such as keeping their grades up.
There will be a second reading of the ordinance making this change, most likely at the Council’s May meeting. Then, it takes 20 days for an ordinance to go into effect.
