Juniors vs Explorers

[rescuetech147]

Hi,

I was wondering if someone could help me understand the concept of explorer compaired to a junior firefighter program. I'm a little confused I know a explorer has something to do with the boy scouts and a junior is just department oriented. Are there different laws or procedures for explores. I started at are department as a junior and I was always classified as a junior. What I'm getting at is: i'm looking to revamp our junior program at our fire station. I was a junior for 4 years and now several years later I want to get the program back to where it was when i was in. Now our numbers have shrunk we went from 10 juniors down to 2. So is there anything an explorer program can offer more than a junior program? or less than a junior program? Is it better to stay with a junior program or go to a explorer program? I would appreciate any help or suggestions on this subject.

John Walter
Central VFC

[res1cueffd]

I was an explorer for 2 1/2 years on our dept before joining as an active member. We always had membership cards through the learning for life program. They do all of the liability insurance for both the advisors and the explorers. They also do state and national competitions. The "junior" program the department is in charge of doing all of the insurance. And you wouldnt do any competitions unless they were for programs that were not through learning for life. For more info from the Explorer website go to http://www.learning-for-life.org/exp...ire/index.html and they can explain better.

[Res343cue]

"Explorers" are an extension of the boy scouts.... A "Junior" , "Cadet", "Baby Firefighter", "Youth Firefighter", whatever you want to call it program, is usually some extension of the fire department or an association affiliated that represents the department's members.

With the Explorers, they have a tighter set of rules for the most part. With a "Junior" style program, the departments have a little more room to interpret and to structure their program how they see fit as long as it falls within the scope of the law.

[FiftyOnePride]

I see it, and had it said to me to be all about the insurance you get through LFL.

[nmfire]

Functionally, the only difference is the insurance provider and some rules.

[rescuetech147]

Thanks everyone for your answers I appreciate it, it was very helpful. After reading the learning for life webpage I think we will stick to the junior program. We already cover our juniors, so the only benefit for us would be the compotions. And after reviewing that I really dont think that we have the money to send them. I would rather run it through are company. I can just get the juniors from different companies around here and do the same thing for next to nothing. Once again thanks for the explainations.

John Walter
Central VFC

[randsc]

One advantage of Explorering

Thanks everyone for your answers I appreciate it, it was very helpful. After reading the learning for life webpage I think we will stick to the junior program. We already cover our juniors, so the only benefit for us would be the compotions. And after reviewing that I really dont think that we have the money to send them. I would rather run it through are company. I can just get the juniors from different companies around here and do the same thing for next to nothing. Once again thanks for the explainations.

John Walter
Central VFC

Is that you will have a resource from the council who can help you with a great deal of free advice and consulting as you try to revitalize your post. Also, there are some benefits (scholarships, etc.) that Explorers are eligible for as members of the BSA. Finally, the flip-side of the greater flexibility offered by an unaffiliated program is that all the rules and policies the BSA has put in place are the result of many years of experience with tens of thousands of Explorers, and the finest legal advice anywhere.

[backsteprescue123]

Thanks everyone for your answers I appreciate it, it was very helpful. After reading the learning for life webpage I think we will stick to the junior program. We already cover our juniors, so the only benefit for us would be the compotions. And after reviewing that I really dont think that we have the money to send them. I would rather run it through are company. I can just get the juniors from different companies around here and do the same thing for next to nothing. Once again thanks for the explainations.

John Walter
Central VFC

I'm not sure what it is like around you, but around here competitions are very cheap. Maybe $10-15 and thats just to cover food and expenses. All that we attend are within 2 1/2 hours driving time as well. It is a great way to get to know people from all over. I talk to people that I have met at competitions all the time. Just my $.02

[rescuetech147]

Is there a website where these competitions are set-up or can be viewed. The only thing I found was something(I think it was more a summer camp) on the learning for life home page and it was like $350 a person. Or how can I find out if these competitions are in my area? Also how long are the compititions (1day, 2days, week)?

Thanks
John Walter

[sfdffemt17]

At least call your local learning for life office and find out what they can offer you. I think you will be surprised. Also talk to local posts that are chartered through the learning for life program they will help you make the decision if it is wort it for you or not. I would also seriously look at the difference in insurances. Don't just go by the old " well the town would cover you if something happened" Make sure you see in writing what exactly the town is payinf for as far as insurance and liability.

Jon

[NWOhio157]

Is there a website where these competitions are set-up or can be viewed. The only thing I found was something(I think it was more a summer camp) on the learning for life home page and it was like $350 a person. Or how can I find out if these competitions are in my area? Also how long are the compititions (1day, 2days, week)?

Thanks
John Walter

John, what you found isn't the summer camp. It's a national competition that's held at different fire service academies every year. Contanct you local Learning for Life office. They should have a list of local Explorer Posts that you could make contact with and set one up. The ones that I have made it to are just 1 day. We start between 0800 and 0900 hours and we are cleaned up(if it's ours) and home by 1800 hrs. I can get some info forwarded to you on how to go along with setting one up. We do one every year and we travel like 2 hours to one every year.

[backsteprescue123]

Is there a website where these competitions are set-up or can be viewed. The only thing I found was something(I think it was more a summer camp) on the learning for life home page and it was like $350 a person. Or how can I find out if these competitions are in my area? Also how long are the compititions (1day, 2days, week)?

Thanks
John Walter

John,

If you can shoot me an email, I would be happy to help you out.

[NWOhio157]

John,

If you can shoot me an email, I would be happy to help you out.

Some how, I just knew you'd come and take my spotlight away . Kidding . You have all the files on you computer already.


John, Jake will take care of ya.

[rescuetech147]

RFRDxplorer,

I'll shoot you an email right after I talk to the learning for life person. Less typing I have to do LOL. Im not intrested in doing competition right now just more or less trying to figure out which way is better for me to push our company. Insurance really doesn't matter our township covers all the fire companies insurance(including the juniors). To be honest the only part from reading their website that concerns me is getting enough members to meet the 21yr. old status. I think we need like 3 or 4, and most of the people that help me with the junior program including myself are not 21; close but not yet. Like most volunteer companies we have trouble getting members, and the members we do have are so over worked with other things the juniors unfortunantly get pushed to the back of the line. This is ashame because our junior program is what got over 1/2 the guys/girls we have now. Not to mention the average age of our guys/girls are very low. We probably have off the top of my head have around 10-15 people between 18-21. And all very well trained. This is the group that helps me with the juniors, but you can see were my problem enters no one in that age range are over 21. Does anyone know how active those advisors have to be? Like could we put our company offices down as those advisors, but have the normal group that helps me do the work? Secondly, this is getting a little off subject, but our township has 6 fire departments all with juniors, can I take all the juniors and make up one posts. Each department is just that seperate, each has their own chief and executive board. And if I make that post can the still belong to their respected departments. I just figure this will let me pull a lot more resources. Sorry I blabbered on so long. Thanks ahead of time for your replies.

John Walter

[rescuetech147]

O ya 1 more thing do i need to get approval from the learning for life organization before i have any fundraisers?

John