Our Program
The Lake Shore Junior Fire Company was formed in 1946 to teach younger members of the community who had an interest in firefighting and emergency medical care. The goal was to add these young people to the ranks of the Senior Company when they became of age. Over the years, this has proved successful.
The Junior Fire Company has a two-fold purpose. First, the program is designed to educate each member in all aspects of firefighting and Emergency Medical Service. The Junior Firefighter will be taught proper firefighting and rescue techniques, life safety, basic EMS skills, fire safety and fire prevention. Secondly, the program is designed to educate the Junior Firefighter about the spirit of volunteerism. The ranks of the volunteer fire service nationwide have been dwindling for several years and our program is developed to teach the Junior Firefighter members the importance of volunteering and being an active participant in their community.
The Junior Firefighter will be assigned their own set of Personal Protection Equipment, also know as PPE or turnout gear. They will not only learn about the protective properties that make this equipment so vitally important, as well as the proper donning and doffing PPE techniques.
The Junior Firefighter will learn the proper use and care of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus also known as SCBA. An SCBA is a device used by the fire service allowing the firefighter to breathe air from a unit carried by the firefighter when oxygen levels are not sufficient to sustain life. At NO time will the Junior Firefighter be exposed to conditions which are not sufficient to sustain life.
The Junior Firefighter will learn proper search and rescue techniques in a smoke-filled environment using theatrical smoke. They will need to don their PPE and SCBA and conduct simple room searches, rescues and simulated interior fire attacks, sometimes involving ladders. All trainings are simulated and at NO time will the Junior Firefighter be subjected to live fire conditions unless with a Senior Firefighter at a car fire training.
The Junior Firefighter will have on occasion the opportunity to ride in the fire company apparatus, i.e. Heavy Rescue Pumper Truck, a Fire Engine and the Ambulance under non-emergency conditions. In the event they are a passenger in any vehicle they will be required to wear the appropriate seatbelts. They may have on occasion the opportunity to be a passenger in the Hamburg Fire Chiefs Water Rescue Boat. In the event this occurs they will be required to wear Coast Guard approved floatation devices.
Junior Firefighters in a classroom setting will learn the fundamentals of safe and proper techniques used to stabilize and extricate a patient from a vehicle that has been involved in a collision. The Junior Firefighter will learn about basic hand tools for extrication. This will include some electric saws, hand saws and air chisels. They will have an opportunity to learn about the Holmatro Rescue Tool. This is a hydraulic rescue tool used in extraction to cut and pry open vehicles.
There may be times when the Junior Firefighter are called upon to participate in local fundraising efforts for their organization. Such efforts may include but will not be limited to car washes and participating in the Senior Fire Company Fundraising Events such as Chicken BBQ and/ or other events.
The safety record of the organization is exemplary. Safety is our ultimate goal and we will continue to be as safe as possible. We will NOT tolerate Junior Firefighters conducting themselves in an unsafe or disrespectful manner, nor do we condone any form of harassment or bullying. We expect our Junior Firefighters to conduct themselves in a mature and professional manner at all times. In the event a Junior Firefighter is conducting himself/herself in a unsafe or disrespectful manner, they will immediately be removed from the training session and their parent(s) and/or guardians will be notified to pick up their child.
There will ALWAYS be adult supervision for Junior Fire Company meetings or drills. In the event there is not appropriate supervision, the training or drill will be cancelled or postponed.
A junior Firefighter who wishes to not participate in any facet of training will be allowed to observe
the activity without participating. They should be instructed by their parent or guardian to vocalize fears or desire not to participate.
Activities not specifically stated above or any field trip outside Lake Shore Fire Company's Fire Protection District will require the parent or guardian to sign a slip before the Junior Firefighter
will be allowed to participate.
The Junior Firefighter will be required to obtain a medical exam to ensure that they are physically
able to perform the tasks as described above. The Junior Firefighter will need to obtain a physical/sports physical on a yearly basis from their own physician or school by each year.