More than 190 teens and young adults had their first taste of what it’s like to be a firefighter this past weekend through the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s (LACoFD) Explorer Program.
Youth between the ages of 15 and 20 had their two-day orientation that began on Aug. 22. Suiting up in protective gear, each participant received first-hand experience in using firefighter equipment and was taught some of the skills necessary for the job, including how to open a fire hydrant, use a fire hose and how to make a strong, effective knot.
Fire Captain Aaron Katon, public information officer for the LACoFD, said the program is meant to give youth a taste of what a firefighting career looks like and to educate them on life skills, including discipline, civic awareness and community service.
After the orientation, each participant became a member of an Explorer post, or fire station, where they will continue to meet twice a month – once on Wednesday and another on Saturday.
“They’re going to go over a lot of these same skills and keep growing and developing them,” Katon said. “They’re also going to be doing a ride-along on a fire apparatus at the station once a month. It’s a big commitment for the kids, but they really learn a lot through their participation.”
If a participant decides that this program isn’t for them, they are free to leave at any time.
The criteria applicants must meet to apply for the program are pretty simple: be between 15 and 20 years old and have a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA). As long as they meet these requirements, they can stay in the program as long as they like until they age out at 21.
Katon said that having a program geared toward youth is “very important because this allows us to take the profession and introduce it to people who otherwise would not even know that it exists as an option.”
He added, though, that while receiving hands-on experience, if they do decide to pursue firefighting as a career, it’s up to them to put in the effort to make it happen.
“The Explorer program is designed as an intro for them to learn what the profession involves,” Katon said. “They definitely get a leg up because they know what the requirements are, but it’s on them to do the work and go and achieve it.”
The Explorer program starts accepting applications around May each year. To learn more, go to https://fire.lacounty.gov/explorer-program/.
For more information on how to be a firefighter for the LACoFD, visit https://fire.lacounty.gov/be-a-firefighter/.