Age of junior firefighter in NJ

[steveo]

Anybody know the legal age that they can become a junior in NJ. We currently allow 16 year olds, we were thinking about lowering it to 14 if laws allow it. -thanks steve

[NMFD33]

stevo, the age in NJ is 16. child labor laws etc...if you want to start a program for 14-16 start a cadet program or start up an explorer post. than you can get 14 and 15 year olds involved, but they cant ride on calls and whatnot.

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Chris Kerrigan
ILiveInACage@aol.com
Fire Fighter/EMT-D
HazMat Medical Officer
New Milford Vol. Fire Dept Company #2
New Milford,NJ

Don't Play With Fire, Play with me..

[Brian Dunlap]

I Believe that age 14 is OK for Juniors but they can't ride the trucks until they turn 16 We have 1 or 2 14 year olds and the rest 16 , 17

[Break-N-Entry]

Don't forget what the NJ Statutes say:

Must join between the ages of 18 and 45 to be eligible for membership in the state relief association and perform 60 percent for 84 months for relief certificate.

It's great that some NJ fire departments have lowered the age to 16 and created junior ranks, and that they will accept new members over 45 - but the statutes MUST be changed to protect ALL that serve.

[SFDAJL]

From what I've seen with surrounding departments, including my own, 16 is the age to become a junior. Though in the town next to me the Juniors there can be 14. I don't think we have any explorer posts around here, but I'm not sure. But that's what I've seen with Juniors anyway.

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Andrew "Bushman" Landstrom
Cadet
Station 71
Spotswood Vol. Fire Department
Spotswood, New Jersey

You light 'em, We fight 'em

[eCappy]

Sixteen to join as a junior; but eighteen to receive state credit, LOSAPs, and clothing allowances!! When is NJ going to wake up and start treating ALL firefighters the same regardless of their ages?

[NMFD33]

The key here is 16. call it what you want but the kid cant ride the truck, or do anything till he/she is atleast 16. whether the kid is 2 or 15, they cant do anything. 16 and 17 can ride the trucks, but cant operate power and hydraulic tools. eCappy. how old are you? cause when i was a junior i thought the same thing. but as a junior you dont have fire-1, you cant enter a building, etc. why should you get the same status from the nj state firemens assc if you cant do all the stuff. sure id like my junior years to count for my LOSAP, but it wont. wait till your 18 like everyone else and yourl realize the difference

[eCappy]

NMFD33: I became a junior at age 16 in 1968 and I had to wait and wait and wait until NJ lowered the age (voting age too, I might add) from 21 to 18 in 1972; so I was a junior for 4 years. (There was no FF1 back then, just Bergen County's 24 hour Basic Training). I put in 4 years as a junior and I will go to my grave with my belief that those years should have counted. I have had juniors under my command and believe their time should count as well. Excuse me - but I also believe that it's one for all and all for one - and the statutes should be dusted off and changed. Wait 'till I'm 18? That was 30 years and thousands of fires ago!

[Break-N-Entry]

With so many juniors joining the ranks I think that the lawmakers in Trenton should take another look. The maximum age in the statute in question was raised from 41 to 45 not long ago but the minimum 18 has not been lowered in decades despite growing numbers. I can see the point that juniors don't have FF-1 and can not enter structures - but so what? Isn't there a ton of other things they do to make themselves useful at fire incidents and around the station? If it weren't for my juniors - and those I see busting their butts in other fire departments - very little would get done. They should be treated accordingly, especially in view of the monies the state association generates (2 percent of each and every fire insurance policy written in NJ). As far as LOSAPS and 'clothing allowances' I ask why not - with $65,000 plus teachers I think the towns can easily afford the pennies in comparison that they throw at their firefighters.

[NMFD33]

#1 eCappy read the email i sent to you pertaining to you post

#2 i understand what your saying. but the reason i believe nothing can be done to that extent are child labor laws and being a minor. i have no problem with juniors being given more rights, having their years counted or recieving clothing allowances

[wrongWAY]

I could be wrong but I don't think that the minimum age (16) is based on NJ's child labor laws. I was a junior, oversaw the juniors when I became a firefighter, and helped other departments start junior programs. In all my many meetings with state, county and local officials, municipal attorneys, fire department lawyers, and etc I never once heard any mention about child labor laws. The only 'law' ever mentioned was the municipal insurance coverage requirements - which in NJ is ruled by statute and is 16 years of age.

PS: My years as a junior also didn't count towards anything; even though I racked miles of hose, raised money, and did everything I was asked - and more. I didn't care then, but seeing how the juniors I have had the good fortune to have been associated with perform, I'm 100 percent in favor of getting the laws changed so that their time as juniors will count and so that they can be eligible for LOSAPS and clothing money.

[NMFD33]

when i refer to juniors im refering to 16 and 17 year olds. we refer to 15 and below as explorers. you cant ride the truck till your 16 anyway