South River plans to name junior firefighters at council meeting Youths will learn how to dispatch a truck and basic fire-fighting skills

Staff Writer

By takesha pettus

South River plans to name junior firefighters at council meeting
Youths will learn how
to dispatch a truck and basic fire-fighting skills

SOUTH RIVER — Several borough youths may be appointed to the junior firefighter program tonight.

The Borough Council is scheduled to appoint the youths at its council meeting which is set for 7:30 p.m. at the South River High School library.

The program is coordinated and supervised by members of the South River Fire Department.

Late last month, the council approved a measure to allow for a junior firefighter program in the borough.

With the new program, however, older youths will train to become actual firefighters within two years.

Teens between the ages of 16 and 17 qualify for the program.

Youths must meet several requirements to be accepted into the program.

Youths must have the written consent of a parent or guardian. Also, they must maintain at least a C-plus grade average in school for each marking period.

The junior firefighters will be able to respond to the firehouse during school days until 9 p.m. and on the weekends and during summer vacation until 11 p.m., with parental permission.

Also, the youths will be trained on how to dispatch a truck and the fundamentals of fire fighting.

As a junior firefighter, youths will be restricted at fire scenes and will not be allowed to respond to the firehouse during school hours, ride on a fire apparatus without a seat belt, be in the firehouse without a junior firefighter adviser present, or place themselves in a dangerous situation.

The youths will be considered members of the squad and will qualify to be regular members of the squad once they turn 18, if they choose.

At the council meeting late last month, Councilman Tony Ciulla also said he would be sending a letter to the Board of Education requesting that the board allow Fire Chief Ron Krusius and other firemen to visit South River High School to speak with youths about becoming junior firefighters.

The borough already has an ordinance in place allowing for fire cadets between the ages of 14 and 17.