Young adults from across the state gathered in Colonie on Thursday, Aug. 21, to learn new firefighting techniques and improve old ones with training from some of the best instructors around.
At the Town of Colonie Municipal Training Center, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York held its sixth annual Future of the Fire Service Youth Firefighter Training Day, which included more than 100 young men and women ages 14-19.
The students are all part of the Explorers program, which strives to get high school students interested in becoming firefighters. The students participated in four different scenarios that would help prepare them for real-life events they would face in an emergency call. The program is part of an effort to recruit new volunteer firefighters.
“I think all of you young people training here today will be able to get a very real sense of what it means to be a firefighter in today’s world. Perhaps you will also be taking the first step in helping to meet a very pressing need – the need for new volunteer firefighters,” said Town Supervisor Paula Mahan.
Last year, more than 7,000 firefighters trained at the training center in Colonie.
FASNY was founded in 1872 and represents the interest of 96,000 volunteer firefighters in New York. The Explorer program in Colonie began 40 years ago, but different posts have adopted the program at different times to get new recruits.
“We run recruiting programs all over the state; local departments run their own. What happens is if you get one kid from high school, they’ll bring one or two of their friends once they find out how interesting it is,” said Jim Burns, president of FASNY.
Chief Dave Leonardo of Shaker Road-Loudonville Fire department, who is also a Colonie police officer, is a product of the Explorer program. Leonardo said the program is one of more important ways to bring in new firefighters.
“We train them just like firemen. Explorers usually go from the time they are 14 to 18 years old. The idea is when they are 18, that’s four years of training they’ve had, so they step right into the department. We actually have had a lot of our firemen come through the program,” said Leonardo.
The Explorers learn about the science of fire, the equipment that is being used and proper techniques. They also learn about responsibility, commitment and teamwork.
“We treat them just like we do the firemen in our fire department. They get to go to all our functions — like picnics and baseball trips. They work all our fundraisers,” said Leonardo. “Right from the age 14, they learn responsibility, and if they want to keep doing it, they’re obviously there for a reason. They have responsibilities.”
Leonardo isn’t the only person in the family interested in fighting fires. His 17-year-old daughter is in the Explorer program. Amanda Leonardo entered the program at 14 and will be a senior at Colonie Central High School this fall.
“I grew up with him being a police officer and firefighter, so growing up with that and going to the firehouse almost every day because my mother’s in there, she works in there. So knowing the family we have at the firehouse, you kind of just grow up with it. It’s fun,” said Amanda.