Program could help fill future volunteer ranks
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
For City of Burlington volunteer firefighter Mark Strasser, the idea of starting a youth fire Explorer program – where teenagers learn about fighting fire in a controlled environment, before taking actual classes – has been a passion for a long time.
Now he will have a chance to make that happen. Strasser’s proposal to add the program at the City of Burlington Fire Department was unanimously approved Dec. 17 at the City of Burlington Common Council meeting.
In his initial presentation to the council the first week of December, Strasser said he’d grown up around firefighters.
“I literally had my diapers changed on the front bumper of a fire truck,” he said.
As a result of that long-standing tradition in his family – and his love of coaching, which he couldn’t do any longer – he wanted to bring youth the ability to learn about firefighting.
Teenagers – through the Boy Scouts and the Learning for Life program – will get their own turnout gear, and get a chance to learn from those within the City of Burlington fire department.
They will not respond like volunteers to fire scenes, however, and won’t be used as actual firefighters.
However, the teenagers, both boys and girls, will get a chance to see what it means to be a firefighter, both from the volunteer and the career angles.
Strasser stressed that students will be expected to maintain a high moral standard, which meant no drugs and alcohol.
“This is a privilege, not a right,” he said.
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