Emergency Services Youth Drill TOMS RIVER TWP
On Monday July 7th 2008, The Emergency Services Junior Firefighters and EMTs participated in a training exercise at the TomsRiverFireAcademy. It consisted of search and rescue in a smoke house with 2 victims trapped on the 2nd floor as a result of a simulated structure fire on the 1st floor. A smoke machine simulated a smoke filled room from the fire. A second scenario utilized the maze, a confined space area blacked out for search and rescue with no visibility. After the Search and Rescue exercises the Junior Firefighters and EMTs were taught about Class A fires and how to extinguish them. They were also taught the use of Class A, B, & C fire extinguishers and were allowed to extinguish small fires in a controlled environment supervised by the academy instructors. Prior to concluding the night, the advisors and instructors demonstrated use of thermal balance when extinguishing a fire observed by the explorers and cadets from outside the burn room. Each kid said they can’t wait to turn 18 and go into live fires to train and learn how to maybe save a life one day.
The youth from Silverton, Pleasant Plains, and East Dover Fire Departments meet together monthly to work with each other in practicing how to successfully handle any emergency scene. For this drill the Jackson EMS Cadet EMTs also participated. These cadets now realize what it entails’ to be a firefighter and will think twice when they are at a fire scene to help out.
The TomsRiverFireAcademy facilities and staff are an asset to the youth program being available for use by the youth groups. Each instructor gave up a free night taking themselves away from their family to be there to teach the explorers and cadets about the Emergency Services. To quote the instructors that night, “This is the future of our Emergency Services as these youths participate in such a positive program for the benefit our community at large. We are glad to be there for them”
From the advisors perspective both groups generate positive relationships and numbers in terms of recruits. We are always looking for more explorers from the ages of 14 to 18. Approximately 70% of the explorers and cadets enter some form of Volunteer and Career Emergency Services Fields.
The explorer program is chartered through the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Teenagers interested in joining the co-ed Fire Explorer and EMS cadet program may call (732) 255-1122 or email us at dtfdsta29@comcast.net . Also check us out on the web www.tomsriverfire.com. The Jersey Shore Council BSA may be contacted at 732 349 1037. "Learning for life Division, Extension 18 for Pete Hausman or Extension 16 for Charlie Goldfarb"?
Michael J. Cocco
Vice President / Explorer Advisor
Silverton Vol. Fire Company No. 1
