A first-year Clarendon Hills Fire Department program is providing local youth the opportunity to explore the fire service, while also potentially serving as a tool to recruit future members.
Because it is a paid-on-call and part-time department, Clarendon Hills relies on local community members to be a part of its fire department, said Deputy Fire Chief Roger Krupp. That is what led to creation earlier this year of the Fire Explorer Program.
“The goal of the program is to provide local youth with a unique learning experience with classroom and practical experiences in what it is like to be a firefighter and emergency services provider,” Krupp said. He said to accomplish that goal, the program is used to introduce participants to firefighter and emergency medical services operations, community service and civic involvement through positive mentoring, training, education, and career development.
“The program will provide firsthand experience in what it mentally and physically takes to be a professional firefighter,” Krupp said. “Our program gives participants beneficial knowledge, experience, and discipline that can apply to any career field.”
Krupp said while looking for ways to recruit new department members, some existing personnel of the Clarendon Hills Fire Department were aware of other departments that have been running cadet programs. Once a decision was made to proceed with a cadet program of its own, Krupp was assigned to take the lead in setting it up.
“I began researching other programs in the area and had conversations with Naperville and Western Springs to learn about their programs,” he said. “Following a review of the programs we decided to partner with the Boy Scouts of America and form an Explorer Post.”
Krupp said the planning and implementation process took about eight months, and participants began attending training sessions in June.
“We first had to work on training the members of the department that would be involved in working with our cadets,” he said. “There was special instructor training required by the Boy Scouts of America that we all had to complete.”
Krupp chose firefighter/paramedic Brad Smith as the lead cadet instructor. He is a part-time member of the Clarendon Hills Fire Department and also works as a high school teacher.
“He has developed the educational and skills training program for the cadet program,” Krupp said.
Since June, the cadets have attended weekly training sessions and have participated in monthly Emergency Medical Services training. Cadets may sit in with firefighters during their classroom training and during practical training, and firefighter/paramedics have worked with them separately on such practical skills as ladder raises, hose and nozzle use, putting on and taking off personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus.
“As the year progresses, we will be providing them with more practical skills, hands-on training, with all the various tools and equipment used in the fire service,” Krupp said. He said an example of that took place Saturday when cadets were able to train at a house that is being razed to make way for a new home.
“They were able to practice maneuvering a charged hose line through a structure while in their full gear and (self-contained breathing apparatus), breaching walls as an alternate means of exiting a room or structure, raising ladders to a roof, and ventilation techniques,” Krupp said.
Jack Costello, 17, of Clarendon Hills, is a cadet in the program who had been emailing the Clarendon Hills department, asking that it start an Explorer Program.
“I signed up and joined because I have always had an interest in this profession, and it gives me hands-on experiences with some awesome people,” Costello said. “Being in this gives me confidence, leadership and a great time.”
Clarendon Hills resident Teddy O’Hara, 16, learned of the program from Costello, who is a friend.
“I ran into him, and he was in the uniform, and so I emailed the Chief, asking for a spot in the program,” O’Hara said. “I signed up to learn different ways to serve my community, both now and in the future.”
Damian Delacruz-Medrano, 15, of Westmont, was excited to learn about the Clarendon Hills Explorer Program.
“I love the job, and it has been something I’ve been wanting to do since I was a little boy,” he said.
Krupp said that because Clarendon Hills partnered with the Boy Scouts of America as an Explorer Post, the Explorer Program accepts participants from ages 14 to 20. However, the age someone can apply to be a paid-on-call in Clarendon Hills is 18, so someone in the Explorer Program could be converted into a department member at that age.
“We would like our participants to pursue a career in the fire or emergency medical services profession,” Krupp said. “If they stay local, we hope they apply to be a member of our department. Ultimately, we want to provide them with a unique career and life experience to make them successful in any career path they choose.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
