Fire Explorer program gives 'kickstart' to careers

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Know someone who wants to become a firefighter? The best option for young people 15 to 21 is the North County Fire Protection District’s Fire Explorer Post, a program with an incredible record of success, according to Zach Cain.

Firefighters Cain and Justin Nash are advisors to the organization that is affiliated with Boy Scouts of America.

“The majority of our personnel, 60-70%, went through the Explorers,” Nash said, “Our department has the longest-running Explorer program in the county, and we have paramedics and firefighters who went on to other departments throughout the county.”

Cain is an example. He went through the Fallbrook Explorers before landing a job with the Poway Fire Department. He worked there for three years before being hired in Fallbrook a year and a half ago. He’s been a leader in the Explorers for about a year.

Fire Chief Keith McReynolds went through the program, as did Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Mahr and much of the leadership team.

Cain noted that the program can also direct Explorers to other careers in the public sector.

Students meet weekly on Tuesday evenings. Applications were accepted in October and interviews conducted in November, with classroom instruction beginning in January. Through interviews and experience, leaders were identified and mentored.

Each year there are usually about 20 students selected to become Fire Explorers but this year, following a season of the program being canceled because of COVID-19, it expanded to 36 students.

At the training on March 26 at Station 1, Explorer Chief Malia Nixon of Bonsall called the group into formation and directed the students to change into their fire engine gear within the one-minute time limit. She then led them in doing 20 pushups before they split into three groups.

One group, led by Cain and Nash, taught the Explorers how to handle the 14-foot straight ladders. The 28-pound ladders are lifted, carried and leaned against a building in a specific manner. For most of the students it was their first experience with the exercise and the shorter Explorers had some difficulty.

Another group learned about using the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus that is worn when entering a smoke-filled building. Fireman Chris Destefano with help from EMT Lucy Goode explained how to get hooked up within one minute.

These two groups were reversed midway through the four-hour training.

The third group spent the entire time working the fire hoses with the engine from Station 3 in Rainbow. They took turns attaching a hose from the fire hydrant to the engine, as well as rolling hoses and other duties. Capt. Mike Benoit and Engineer Bruce Moore were the instructors.

The training continues through the summer and the cycle repeats beginning in October. Cain said there are usually 10-15 who remain for another year. Once 18, they can enter EMT school, most at Palomar, before moving on to the fire academy and training for paramedic and/or firefighter work.

Four of the Explorers interviewed had interesting backgrounds and insights.

Nixon, 17, is from Bonsall and was homeschooled. She attends Palomar College and Grand Canyon University. She would like to become a firefighter paramedic and plans to begin the EMT school in the fall and hopefully move on to the academy. She is also studying health sciences. A close friend’s husband is a firefighter and was her encouragement. “Zach and Justin are amazing instructors,” she said.

Daniel Ganino of Temecula is studying fire technology in the EMT program at Palomar College. His goal is to be a paramedic-firefighter. He started the program April 2021, making him one of the most experienced Explorers. “I see it as a great opportunity, he said. “I have a sports background and see the connection of firefighters being like a family. It’s like a sports team.”

Not every person in the program has made the commitment of wanting to be a firefighter. Jameson Tidwell, a junior at Great Oaks High School in Temecula, said he became involved because it was an opportunity to develop life skills and build his character. “The program is having an impact on me personally and I potentially could still go into firefighting, but my goal now is to attend Cal Baptist University and become a youth pastor.”

Dana Flinn, 17, said being rescued last March with major injuries from a 100-foot fall from a cliff while hiking with friends in the Sleeping Indian area in southwest Fallbrook led to her interest in firefighting. She broke 20 bones, both lungs partially collapsed, and she lay on the bottom of a crevice unable to be reached before rescuers from four fire departments reached the scene.

Months later after recovering, she took cookies to each of the departments that helped her and one of the firefighters she saw was Cain, who had handled the ropes to let down a paramedic from the Oceanside Fire Department on the rescue.

“Zach talked to me, saying if I wanted to be adventurous, why not get paid for it as a firefighter,” said the student at Mission Vista High School.

“It was an incredible rescue,” Cain said. “It’s the highlight of my career.”

Now he’s helping others who want to follow the path of helping others as a firefighter.

“If you want to be successful as a firefighter, we will make you successful,” Cain said. “The Fire Explorers will definitely kickstart your career.”