The purpose of the Explorer program is to provide a learning environment to develop, train and prepare interested young people for a career in firefighting and emergency medical services. Explorer Post #3369 is located at the Washington Township Fire Department on McEwen Road. Currently there are 10 Explorers including three young women.
Capt. Michael Guadagno, a 12-year veteran with the department, explained that the Explorer Program gives interested students a leg-up on being a firefighter. “Often from here they go to Sinclair for fire training and basic EMT. The students who have come through our program feel a lot more prepared.”
Gust Rose, a junior at Centerville High School (CHS), has always wanted to be a firefighter. “My brother was a firefighter in Beavercreek. It’s something I’ve just always wanted to do,” he said. “This program gets us in on the ground level of being a firefighter.”
Austin Spears, also a CHS junior, lived through a house fire in 2002 and was so impressed with the firefighters’ ability that he decided it was a career option he wanted to explore. “Through the Explorers Program it’s really amazing how much we learn. The hands-on experience is the best. I like actually working with the tools and equipment.”
Rose’s favorite class is ventilation. “There’s so much to learn.”
Shaman Sharma, a six-year department firefighters and lead advisor for the Explorer program, believes the program helps students develop a work ethic. “By seeing and doing, I think they learn more.” Sharma says many of those involved in the Explorer Program remain in it while attending fire school. “We hope the Explorers become more familiar with the role the Washington Township Fire Department plays in the community’s life.”
Much like participating in a sport, an Explorer must maintain a 2.0 grade point average and maintain a good attendance record. Explorers are not substitutes for trained personnel and do not operate or ride in department apparatus or vehicles. Upon successful completion of the Explorer orientation, the Explorer is issued a helmet, gloves, hood, bunker pants, bunker coat and suspenders.
At scheduled times during the year the burn tower is open to Explorers to train practice anything from search and rescue to live supervised fire burn training. The burn room simulates actual fire ground operations. “We push them,” said Capt. Guadagno. And the experience is proving a good recruitment tool. “We have two or three fulltime firefighters who came through the program,” said Sharma.
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