There are hundreds of departments across New York State offering Junior Firefighter, Fire Explorer, RAM-Restricted Activity Member and similar programs for young adults looking to explore the exciting and fulfilling world of fire and emergency services.
Join the fun. Join the family.
When you enter the fire service, you enter a family like no other. In every volunteer fire department, you’ll find adult role models and other young people you can look up to and be mentored by. We work hard and we have a lot of fun doing it. This is a great opportunity to be part of something special and make lifelong friendships.
Master new skills. Boost your confidence.
Participating in a fire department youth program is a great confidence booster as you learn and practice new skills, and advance in training, learning, experience and responsibility. You’ll discover new things about yourself including capabilities you may never have imagined before joining.
Volunteering is great for college and career.
Your community service is a terrific resume-builder for college and jobs. College admissions offices and employers love seeing community volunteerism on applications, and firefighting is a great way to serve. You’ll also develop leadership and collaborative skills that will come in handy no matter what you choose to do.
Scholarships and tuition assistance.
You can earn scholarships and take advantage of college tuition reimbursement programs as a youth program member. FASNY and other organizations offer numerous scholarships each year just for volunteer firefighters, and FASNY’s Higher Education Learning Plan (HELP) provides up to 100% college tuition reimbursement at any New York State school.
