There are volunteer youth firefighters who enjoy the thrill of rushing to a fire or accident scene, but they're a rare breed to any fire department in the county and in the borough, according to Thomas M. Johns, Saint Clair fire chief.
"We try to do trainings to get them interested, but even then, if they have something going on, they're not coming," he said.
Johns believes adolescents are not interested in volunteering their time to a fire department like they were in years past because they don't want to give up their free time. They have other commitments or are into sports, computers or other things, he said.
Younger people are still signing up to volunteer, but not at the rate that the department needs them, Johns added.
Not all youngsters have firefighting in their blood like Travis J. Rodrian, lieutenant for the Rescue Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, North Second Street.
Rodrian, 20, grew up watching his father and grandfather, who were members. He joined the department when he was 16 years old.
"It's like an adrenaline rush every time the pager goes off, knowing that you're going to do something for someone who needs you," he said.
Rodrian said he believes that it's a difficult field to recruit teens for because the training is long and younger people aren't interested.
"They don't take a good look at it since they're more involved in doing things for themselves at their age," he said.
Rodrian did encourage some friends to join. They joined, but they didn't last long.
A civil engineering major at Penn State Schuylkill, Rodrian plans to continue volunteering when he transfers to University Park campus in the summer, but he doesn't know how far his service will take him. Paid firefighter positions are hard to come by, he said.
Rodrian dedicates about 20 hours a week to the fire department and the ambulance. He answers about three calls a week for the fire company and seven to eight for the ambulance.
Eric D. Bender, 24, station captain of Rescue Hook and Ladder, said there are two to three people under age 18 and about 10 who are age 16 and over working at borough's five fire departments.
He became a junior volunteer with the department at age 13. When he first joined, there were about 12 junior members, he said, but that number dwindled. "When I was young, I always looked forward to the adrenaline rush of the sirens," Bender said. "It was always something I wanted to do."
To get young people interested, Rescue Hook and Ladder goes to select locations, such as the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot, to perform training drills.
"Hopefully it strikes a little interest," Bender said.
Firefighting demonstrations are conducted in elementary, middle and high schools. The newest promotion would be going into schools with Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March to speak to students about the importance of joining the fire department.
Rodrian agrees that there needs to be more programming to generate interest.
"It's a job you're either going to like from the beginning or not," Bender said.
It's a position Vinnie A. Alessi, 16, enjoys during his free time.
"I just like it. It's neat to put on all the gear and respond to the calls and helping people. It just feels good," he said.
The Nativity BVM High School sophomore joined Alert Fire Company No. 1, South Second Street, when he was 14. His father was a member.
He admits that people his age are apprehensive about becoming a firefighter because of the amount of training hours involved and because it is on a volunteer basis. They want to get paid, he said.
"They think it's a bad thing, but it's really fun," Alessi said.
Some of his friends said it's dangerous, he added. He's trying to make them think otherwise.
"They're the next generation. They're always in need," Bender said. "It's an important job. Without the fire department, you could lose your property and your life."
