Have you ever considered joining the fire service? The good news is that you can join at the age of 16. West Charlton Volunteer Fire Department is looking for junior firefighters to join their team. The fire service opens your eyes to leadership, community service, and brotherhood. 

As part of a volunteer fire department, I have had the absolute pleasure making lifelong friends. My team and I work together to perform tasks and save lives. You, too, can be part of this amazing opportunity. Firefighting is the most rewarding service opportunity out there. You get to rescue and help people on their worst day. You see things most people don’t. You care for the injured and the vulnerable. You take care of your team. You become part of the fire family. 

I encourage all students who are eligible to give it a try. The great thing about being a junior firefighter is that you will always have someone looking over you and giving you guidance. Junior firefighting gives you the opportunity to get the skills under your belt while being assisted by a more knowledgeable team member. 

West Charlton has meetings on the first Tuesday of every month and drill night on the following Tuesdays throughout the month. In addition to your in-house training, you are also encouraged to attend fire classes where you can become a certified firefighter. To be a certified CLASS-A firefighter, you are required to take Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO), Hazardous Materials Operation (HMFRO), and Interior Firefighting Operations (IFO). There are also a lot of other class opportunities that you can take. They offer classes for survival, incident command, pump operations and more. 

If you are interested in joining or checking out our department, come by on a Tuesday night at 7pm or check out our WCFD facebook page. We are happy to assist you on your journey through the volunteer fire service.