Future Firefighters Impressing Kittanning Township Leaders

By Jonathan Weaver

In 3-4 years, many local fire fighters will put their fellow residents’ safety into the hands of some new recruits.

Junior firefighters – those teenagers that are between the ages of 14 and 18 – are returning to many Armstrong County departments in hopes of one day riding that ladder truck to help save the day.

A handful of junior recruits are noted in Kittanning Hose Company #6, Ford Cliff and Manor Township.

But, for the first time in five years, the wave of the future is coming strong in Kittanning Township with seven junior firefighters already anxiously learning new skills and teamwork.

Fire Chief Steve Baker appreciates the efforts.

“They’ve been a real asset – this is our future,” Chief Baker said.

The youngest junior firefighters in Kittanning Township -14- year- olds Dustin Wright and Levi Moore – signed up to volunteer shortly after their respective birthdays this past fall.Both teenagers – Dustin an eighth grader at Ford City Junior-Senior High and Levi an eighth grader at Kittanning Junior High - are following in the footsteps of their fathers and older

Dustin grew up at the department with his father, Kurt, grandparents, Earl and Connie, and fellow junior firefighter 16-year-old brother, Travis.

“Since I’ve basically been born I’ve been up here. I’m up here all the time, so I just figured ‘why not?,” Dustin said.

Travis joined a few months before Dustin, but has been around the fire department for about five years. The Ford City High sophomore now volunteers and trains at the fire house about 10 hours per week.

Levi is following his father, Mark, uncle, aunt and cousins – and also learning on the go with 16-year-old junior firefighter, Lindsey.

“I’d rather work here than at my house,” Levi said.

15-year-old junior firefighter Kristopher Graham even calls the Route 422 fire station his “second home.”

“I was here long before I was a junior since my mom and my dad, brother and grandfather were here – since I was still able to be held,” Graham said.

Firefighting is in Graham’s blood, so to speak, after grandfather, Albert, and great-uncle, Leroy Baker, helped establish the fire department in 1966. From there, most of Graham’s immediate and extended family members have all been volunteer firefighters.

 

Graham said he prioritizes between other activities and working 10-15 hours per week to enjoy the challenges of being a junior firefighter.

“I love it – I really do enjoy it and try to do it as much as I possibly can. Between schoolwork, my 4-H steers and my job, I try to be here as much as I can. I mostly make it to every function,” Graham said.

The Ford City freshman honor student was voted junior firefighter association president by his peers and Graham hopes to stay within the department long after he graduated high school and becomes a veterinarian so the he could become a department officer like his family lineage.

“I want to follow in their footsteps,” Graham said.

But, Graham and junior firefighters Christian Cribbs and Taylor Riskosky – all 15 years old - said they don’t have to leave the firehouse to be treated like family.

“We’re all like family here,” Cribbs said.

Cribbs also tries to attend most firehouse events or training opportunities and has become friends with other junior firefighters in Kittanning, Manor Township and Ford City.

Riskosky, the junior firefighter treasurer, has extended family that battles fires in Maryland, but has become best friends with fellow junior firefighter Lindsey Moore.

The only female junior firefighters were even both born February 25 – even though Lindsey is a year older. Firefighters celebrated with the junior firefighters with treats before their weekly bingo.

Department Assistant Chief Keith Baker and Captain Kevin Good were appointed to watch after the junior firefighters, and both were very impressed.

“It’s a very good group of kids – they’re very well-behaved. They help out immensely. A lot of the fundraisers we have, without them here would be very difficult – we’d never get the work done,” Baker said. “They’ve made a huge commitment and it’s very refreshing to see the size of the group we have now.

“It’s like every department that’s out there – volunteers are hard to come by and it’s nice to come in here and see their young faces laughing and carrying on. It adds something to the whole station, I think.”

Good explained the junior firefighters are restricted to certain emergency calls based on the individual situation due to safety as determined by the officer-in-charge.

“It all depends on the situation. We’re never going to put them somewhere where they’re in harm’s way,” Good said. “We want them to learn and get hands-on experience, but at the same time, they’re still juniors.”

Travis said no juniors are allowed to use power tools, even though he is an outdoorsman.

Cribbs said, though, the junior firefighters never get bored.

“There’s enough work to go around – we all find something to do,” Cribbs said.

Good said the experience also proves as a good lesson in teamwork and hopes the junior firefighters continue to become firefighters after their 18th birthday.

“It gets in your system – you can’t get rid of it,” Assistant Chief Baker said.

A majority of those junior firefighters are already taking the first step to eventually becoming firefighters in the department by taking Essentials classes Monday and Wednesdays to learn about proper equipment and gear.

Altogether, the classes take about 166 hours, and participants need at least a 70 percent to pass – which most think they did.

Dustin even likes the essentials training better than junior high.

To receive community support and donations, Graham and the junior firefighters have planned their first fundraiser of 2014 – a spaghetti dinner this Sunday from 11AM-2PM at the fire station.

The teens also sold Wendy’s fast food coupons in October to raise funds for new equipment.

“They’re helping the fire department, and we’ll help them,” Chief Baker concluded.

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