Junior vs. Explorer?

[mtfirejunior]

What is the difference between a Cadet, Junior, and Explorer Firefighter? Which has the highest "rank" or seniority?

[NWOhio157]

First off, Welcome.

Did you try a search yet? I will bite if you search and don't find your answer.

[DeputyMarshal]

Explorers are a junior/cadet program affiliated with the Boy Scouts through their Learning for ALife program.

Otherwise "Junior/Cadet/Explorer" firefighters are typically all the same: not really firefighters yet, just young people learning about firefighting and participating to a limited extent in firefighter activites because they aspire to become firefighters when they become adults.

[st42stephenAFT]

where i'm from Explorer's are ages 14-16. once you're sixteen you have to become a junior ff. juniors are from 16-18. and after 18 you have to become a senior ff. and within a year attend Firefighter 1. If not, you're kicked out.

Also, juniors have a lot more allowances than Explorers. juniors are allowed to leave high school for calls, they can ride to FAST team calls, they can go up to the front of a building.

whereas explorers cant leave school, cant go on any out of town calls, and have to stay outside the collapse zone of the fire scene.

[nmfire]

We just have a president and vice president here. We used to have a treasurer and secretary as well, but it became pointless. We don't have enough meetings or spend enough money to warrant it.

[WaterbryVTfire]

My depts. make up..
12-15 = Cadet
16-18 = Jr. FF

[ndvfdff33]

No one has "seniority" over another. You'r all the same.

[jrscvfs]

No one has "seniority" over another. You'r all the same.

not true here, when there were alot of jrs we had a cpt and ***. cpt that attended officer meetins at the comitee meetings and were in charge of the other jrs on scene! of course the senior ffs watch and kept in constant communication with us! but now im the only one! sad day!

[NWOhio157]

where i'm from Explorer's are ages 14-16. once you're sixteen you have to become a junior ff. juniors are from 16-18. and after 18 you have to become a senior ff. and within a year attend Firefighter 1. If not, you're kicked out.

Also, juniors have a lot more allowances than Explorers. juniors are allowed to leave high school for calls, they can ride to FAST team calls, they can go up to the front of a building.

whereas explorers cant leave school, cant go on any out of town calls, and have to stay outside the collapse zone of the fire scene.

Explorers may not be able to leave school (big whoop. who cares. this is a different story though) BUT our post has been known to go "out of town" (back when they were actually called out) and we can go up to the building.

It's not allowances that set them apart allowances... really has to do with insurance. Every department/Explorer post/junoir/cadet program is different.

[doughesson]

On my old department,Explorers are cadets usually 15-17 and associated with the BSA/GSA and are limited in what they can do on the fireground.No interior attack,no actual work at a medical,etc.
We kept them close enough to see what was going on and to learn from it,but far enough back that they wouldn't be hurt,burned,splashed with blood,or otherwise see stuff they shouldn't see.
Junior firefighters are the new people over the age of 18 on the department,irregardless of age.They should have gone through the in house 20 hour basic course before getting gear.
They can get in on hose teams if enough skilled people are not available but are heavily supervised until the experienced folks have a handle on how they react.

[ndvfdff33]

not true here, when there were alot of jrs we had a cpt and ***. cpt that attended officer meetins at the comitee meetings and were in charge of the other jrs on scene! of course the senior ffs watch and kept in constant communication with us! but now im the only one! sad day!

Wow. Sorry for being wrong. For one it's Capt. and Asst. Capt. I'm not really sure what an *** Cpt is. Yes many posts and such have their own rank structure. But thats not what he was asking. Maybe you should spend a little reading through the post. Not too mention your spelling and grammar could use a little bit of work

[Captbfd150]

The basic difference between explorer and jr. are insurance. The explorers are insured by the boy scouts of america. Jr.s are insured by there department. There really about the same with what they can do. With explorers its really about how your department runs things. The Bsa sets a loose set of guide lines. In all reality explorer posts are easier because if some one gets hurt its not the departments liability or insurance problem it is the Bsa's. So insurance is the basic difference.

[DaveCN5]

Explorer's/Junior's/Cadets are almost different everywhere you go and varies by state.

[RFDExplorer]

Explorer's/Junior's/Cadets are almost different everywhere you go and varies by state.

What DaveCN5 said is true. My Department is a City Department with all full-time firefighters, and our explorer boundries are based on:
1.) How much you know
2.) How much the crew trusts you
3.) How much Ice Cream you brought

We Explorers are invloved in more Medical procedures than most other explorers with close supervision of the Firefighter-Paramedic and Captain. On most Medical Aids, I can take the Airway bag, the AED, or the drug box to the scene. When we find the patient, the Paramedic usually lets me take blood pressure, set up the heart monitor or set up an IV (sometimes). It is always under strict supervision, and they watch me every step of the way.

As far as Fireground Operations goes, we're pretty limited. If you are responding to a structure fire, it all depends on what the BC assigns your engine company. If you are assigned to interior attack, well, there isn't much you can do. If we were assigned to ventilation, then I could get the ladders off the rig and throw them up onto the roof, butt the ladder, etc... When all is safe, they might let me up onto the roof to assist with overhaul or checking for fire extension, after all the guys have sounded the entire roof.

[afrexplorer1]

We all do the same thing.

[ndvfdff33]

We all do the same thing.

Thats what I thought, but supposedly they are infact different

[mfd103capt]

My depts. make up..
12-15 = Cadet
16-18 = Jr. FF

hey just had a ? for u . im from a small town in Miner mo. and im in the progress getting a program started . It is a volunteer dept and just wanted if u heard of it working on that kind of dept..We do get paid tho...I have a meeting this week with the Boy Scotts of america on this subject .Didnt know how it needs to be set up yet if u could let me know some stuff i would appreciate it ..mfd103capt@yahoo.com thanks

[FLFirefighter12]

are the rules for junio/explorer programs different b ystate becausei ve been looking around for a program at my local depts and havent found anything