FLASHBACK: Junior Firemen Grow: Students Offer Time, Money, Life

[EDITORS NOTE:  Our April 3 edition featured an article about 2025 First Responder of the Year Gary Conrad.  In the article, Conrad expresses concern about the decline in volunteerism and youth participation, as well as the impact it will have on Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue.  Coincidentally, we ran across the article below from an old edition of the Boyertown Area Sr. High School Cub student newspaper.  Published in June 1980, it  profiles several students who participated in Friendship Hook and Ladder company's "Junior Firemen" organization.  Sponsored by various volunteer fire companies, the program was launched in 1964 by members of area fire companies who, like Conrad today, believed that youth involvement was necessary to sustain this vital service for our community.  More information on how you can volunteer with Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue is available at this link.]

by Susan Weil, Assistant Cub Editor

A special kind of motivation is needed for a person to give time and effort to a cause with no apparent reward.

A new group at Boyertown, growing in popularity, is the Junior Fireman organization. Sponsored by various volunteer fire companies in Boyertown and its surrounding communities, this program was initiated in 1964 by elder members of the fire companies, who felt that youth involvement was necessary to a volunteer program.

Many Hours Volunteered

Junior Fireman programs are in operation in several fire companies in the Boyertown area. A visit to the Friendship Hook & Ladder company, during one of the standard Monday night drills of their junior fireman organization, enabled a greater insight to be gained into these teenagers who sacrifice so much time, money, and effort in order to help their community.

In addition to being dedicated, each Monday they are required to complete 144 hours of training, plus a six-hour practical and written test. Additional courses in rescue and first aid techniques are taken by many juniors through various county and state programs.

The Friendship Hook & Ladder company responds to 85 calls per year ranging from vehicle rescue to structure fire. The junior firemen participate in as many of these as possible, however, they cannot leave school without the fire chief making a special request to the administration. There are other restrictions placed upon junior firemen including being prohibited from driving a truck or entering a burning building until they're 21.

Rick Becker dress for a weekly drill.

Reasons for Involvement

The reasons for joining fire companies range from the encouragement from friends and relatives to a close association with the fire companies or ambulance service. Bally Fire Company also has an organization for the Junior firemen in their community. Like the F. H. & L., they support their own organization through various fundraising activities.

When asked about competition between fire companies, Don Reichert of Bally replied, "There's more than there should be,” adding that “Bally has a minute and a half respond time to the scene of a fire.”

Another fireman with Bally, Dave Schott, noted that there are usually more accidents than fires and that the "Jaws of Life" or Hurst tool is the main reason that fire companies are frequently called out for accidents.

All the training and time put in by these firemen is not in vain; several of them are planning careers as paramedics and other types of rescue workers. And for those girls interested in becoming firemen, they will set a precedent, for although the eligibility rules declare only males are acceptable, the age of B.R.A. has changed that.

Emotional Cost

Personal equipment such as fire retardant uniforms and helmets are purchased by individual firemen at costs nearing $400. Perhaps though, the more demanding drain is the emotional one. Trying to rescue victims, only to discover their efforts were in vain, or seeing classmates in-

volved in life and death situations, is a turbulent experience for anyone.

Yet as Rick Becker states, "You don't think about it until later; you're trained to handle it as a professional." Hours after the moments of panic have passed, then the time to think about the tragedy arrives and the turmoil inside begins. But each fireman remains. "Why?" one might ask? Obviously, the satisfaction of doing a service to the com- munity far outweighs the disadvantages and interruptions of private life.

The search for interested junior fireman continues as is evident in Mike Hartman’s junior adviser's at the F. H. & L., statement: "We can always use half a dozen good 16 or 17-year olds."

Chuck Brendlinger inspects a piece of equipment.

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