LDCFM Explorer Post #2555 - 2006 Annual Report (PDF)
In November of 2001, the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical Department created Explorer Post #2555. The post allows area youth to gain insight in a possible career while at the same time providing leadership training.
For young people who are interested in careers in the field of fire services and emergency medical services, exploring offers worksite experiential learning with lot's of fun-filled hands-on activities. Overall this is a progarm that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, and develop. This is accomplished by the post empahisising in five areas.
- Carrer Oppurtunities
- Service Learning
- Leadership Experience
- Life Skills
- Character Education
Exploring is a national career education program of Learning for Life, a group affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. The program is open for young men and women who have completed the eighth grade and are between the ages of 14 - 20.
The explorer program can also be used effectively as a recruitment program for future employees as well as an important part of a training program for future departmental volunteers. Some of our members have attended EMT-B, Fire Science college programs, Community Emergency Response Training and other certification courses. The post continues to help with a variety of public education programs that the department provides. The post continues to train once a week.
Training
The post has a chief, deputy chief, division chief, captains, and firefighters. The handbook of the post even resembles the Standard Operating Procedures of the Department. We have meetings every week where we engage in all aspects of the Fire Service. Some of the classes include but are not limited to;
- Safety
- Search & Rescue
- Building Construction
- Ropes & Knots
- Salvage & Overhaul
- Ladders
- Fire Extinguishers
- Pump Operations
- Incident Command
- Hazardous Materials
- Water, Rope, Trench, & Confined Space Rescue
- Personal Protective Eqiupment & Self-Conatained Breathing Apparatus
- Fire Behavior & Attack
- Fire Streams & Nozzles
- Ventilation
- Water Supply
- Rapid Intervention Teams
- Forcible Entry
- Sprinklers & Standpipe Operations
- Fire Hose & Appliances
- CPR/AED
- Splinting, Bleeding, Burns, & Bandaging
- Vital Signs
- Patient Immobilization
- Airway
- Medical & Trauma Patient Assessment
Requirements
- 14 - 20 years of age
- Completed eigth grade
- High School sudents must maintain a 2.5 GPA
- Must be ready to learn, work hard, and have fun.
Cost
- Annual Insurance: $7
- Uniform Pants:$30
- Black Shoes/ Boots:$25-$50
- Black Belt: $10
- Monthly Dues:$3
Lawrence Douglas county Fire and Medical provides:
- Two Explorer T- shirts
- Explorer Shorts
- Full set of Protective clothing (helmet, Nomex hood, bunker coat, bunker pants, firefighting boots and gloves)
- Safe training environment
- Qualified fire service instructors.
Once you Join:
After attending a month of observational meetings you will fill out the appropriate registration paper work and be issued your gear. For one year you will go through our Explorer level training program, learning basic firefighter and EMS skills. After you have successfully completed our program you will be eligible to take a test that will allow you to ride along with our firefighters at our stations.
How to Join:
Meetings are usually held every Wednesday night at 7pm and on some Saturdays. Come to our Training facility, located at 1941 Haskell in Lawrence to see us in action. Call first to confirm meetings 785-830-7050, ask for Firefighter Nate Jamison
