The Fire Cadets

Montauk Finds a Way to Deal With the Volunteer Firefighter Crisis

By David Lion Rattiner

Kids between twelve and eighteen in Montauk are now learning skills about fighting fires as well as getting motivated to become real firefighters for their communities. The program has generated a much needed feeder system to the volunteer firefighter program in Montauk, which is suffering due to a dearth of new cadets signing up. Much like East Hampton’s Junior Lifeguard program, the Montauk Junior Fire Department spends a couple of nights a week during the summer months of July and August heading to Southampton where they work at fire fighting training facilities, become firefighters, learning the skills necessary to do this dangerous and heroic job.

When the kids turn eighteen and have completed the training in the junior program, they are automatically accepted as full-time firefighters to protect our area. It’s a genius idea for the fire department and also for the community. Both boys and girls are accepted into the program, which trained fifteen cadets last year, the majority of whom were fourteen years old.

The teenagers have to learn serious fire rescue methods and are given a training schedule that is basically the same as an adult cadet. Of course, some things are made easier, but important things, such as learning CPR, are all done at the regular pace.

The young cadets also get to do every young cadet’s dream, which, of course, is to ride around in a fire truck. They also learn how to climb ladders, do search and rescue, even forcible entry and arson awareness. It’s a great program done with serious commitment and the kids are having some of the best times of their lives.

Many kids are also living up to a legacy. Cadet Peter Joyce’s father and grandfather are both in the Fire Department. The two directors of the Montauk Junior Fire Department are Billy Pitts along with Mickey Valcich (Mickey’s Carting) and they have gone all out to make sure the program is as successful as possible.

One of the truly interesting ideas is for the cadets, once fully trained, to respond to simple alarm calls this summer. However, there has not been authorization to do this yet by the fire department because they want them to have more training. But can you imagine having a sixteen-year-old showing up at your house after a small kitchen fire broke out and you wanted to make sure that it was okay? It would be quite an experience. But of course, they will be shadowing an older and more experienced firefighter as a way to learn on the job.

Goodbye Boy Scouts, hello fire department is what I say. If they have what it takes to handle these situations then it is a blessing to the community to have them.

The group of cadets is not just training in the summer either. As this is written, the cadet’s head out to the fire house the second Friday of each month to continue with drills and to attend meetings with other firefighters. And so they continue to feel excited about the program as they become a part of a new special tradition in Montauk.

If you have any interest in getting your kids involved in the Montauk program, call 631-668-5695.