Fire Service Explorers

Exploring is part of Learning for Life's career education program for young men and women who are 14 through 21 years old. The purpose of the program is to provide experiences that help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Exploring is based on a unique relationship between youth and the organizations in their communities. The result is a program of activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow and develop.

Exploring programs are based on five areas of emphasis: career opportunities, life skills, service learning, character education and leadership experience.

Fire Service Exploring is a worksite-based program that helps youth gain insight into a variety of programs that offer career activities in the fire-rescue service. For youth who are interested in careers in the field of fire-rescue service, the program offers experiential learning with plenty of fun-filled, hands-on activities that promote the growth and development of adolescent youth.

City of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Explorer Post 713 meets weekly to encounter training, duties and experiences similar to those of actual firefighters. A typical meeting would consist of a business meeting, training activities and planning community service projects. Explorers are instructed in the areas of fire suppression, fire prevention and community education, with the necessary hands-on training to be eligible to participate in the Ride Along Program, where they put their skills to work.

Qualifications

To experience the excitement and challenge of being an Explorer, applicants must:

• Be 14 to 21 years old
• Have completed 8th grade
• Maintain a 2.0 GPA with no failing classes
• Be in good physical health and of good moral character
• Complete and return the Explorer application
• Pass an oral interview
• Submit to a background investigation
• Have parental or guardian consent

Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Explorers Place Third Overall and Win Sportsmanship Award at Firematics Competition

The City of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Explorer Post 713 placed third in the 1st Annual Firematics Competition recently held at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, FL. The Explorers participated in five challenges that tested their skills in use and repair of charged hose lines. This included utilizing skills such as connecting, rolling and storing a dry hose, breaking down water flow from a 2 ½ inch hose into two 1 ¾ inch hoses, changing a leaking hose with a good section of hose on an “S”, pushing a barrel with a charged hose, turning it around and pushing it back to the finish line, and filling a barrel with water from a water supply with buckets for the bucket brigade.

In addition to placing third in the competition, the Explorers were given the Sportsmanship Award for their exemplary conduct and willingness to assist other teams.

Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Explorers are a group of young women and men 14 to 21-years-old who have an interest in the fire-rescue profession. They often work side-by-side with Fort Lauderdale firefighters and engage in duties and actual situations that the firefighters respond to daily. Explorers also participate in the ride along program where they work with the firefighters and put their learned skills to work on emergency calls.