Students Work as City Fire Fighters
Six fire science students are gaining experience as fire fighters by working regular shifts and living in fire stations as the result of an innovative cadet program developed by the Oshkosh, Wis., Fire Department and the Fox Valley Technical Institute in nearby Appleton.
About a year ago, Chief Calvin Phillipps of Oshkosh suggested to me that some students in the institute’s fire science technology program might learn whether their desire to enter the fire service was what they really wanted by spending a year as cadet fire fighters in the Oshkosh Fire Department. The chief’s suggestion came at an opportune time because our student body was beginning to include young men looking for jobs in fire departments and many of these had expressed a desire for handson training to supplement their academic studies.
Therefore, Phillipps and I began to develop a program. The chief sought the advice of the Oshkosh city attorney, city manager and Fire Fighters Union to ensure the success of the program once it gained the approval of the Oshkosh Common Council.
Manning leven unchanged
We made it crystal clear to everyone with whom we talked that at no time would cadets be considered as part of the regular manning level for companies and that the only purpose of the program would be to give students active fire fighting experience to help them decide whether they wished to pursue a fire department career.
The guidelines that we drew up for the program were approved by the Common Council in July 1977. The guidelines established several requirements that had to be met by the six students who would become cadet fire fighters.
Each student selected had to be approved by the Oshkosh fire chief, the city personnel director and myself as head of the fire science technology program at Fox Valley Technical Institute. The students had to have 30 academic credits in the associate degree program and maintain a minimum average grade of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Each student had to complete the basic firemanship course and also courses in flammable liquids and structural burns conducted by David McFadden of the fire service training program at Fox Valley Technical Insitute. Furthermore, each cadet selected had to pass a physical examination paid for by the City of Oshkosh.
Work regular shifts
The cadet fire fighters work the regular fire department 56-hour week—24 hours on duty and 48 off. However, because of school policies, they get a Christmas and Easter recess. The cadets work under the direction of the Oshkosh fire chief and other fire department officers in conjunction with the program head and they perform all fire fighting duties. They also accept all responsibilities required by the fire department and attend all training sessions while on fire department duty. In addition, the cadets must abide by the rules and regulations of both the fire department and the technical institute.
In return, the City of Oshkosh provides beds that can be used even when of duty by cadet fire fighters who are living away from home. The city also provides a locker for personal effects, bedding, towels, turnout gear and work uniforms. The work uniforms are khaki to distinguish the cadets from department fire fighters. The clothing remains the property of the fire department.
The cadets are covered by workmen’s compensation for injuries on the job and their meals are paid for by the city while they are on duty. The city also provides parking space for the cadets’ private cars.
Supervision of cadets
The first six students selected were James Abraham, Joseph Ballard, Gregory Carlson, David Grable, Craig Miller, and Gary Schrader. These men were paired off so that each of the three shifts had two cadets. Phillipps placed Lieutenant Dean Fenrick in charge of the cadets with the understanding that all actions and communications concerning the students would go through Fenrick. In addition, Fenrick was permitted to select Motor Pump Operators Ted Kempinger, Jerry Faust, and Harold Barter to help him monitor and generally take care of the two cadets on their shifts.
There were—and still are—a few skeptical fire department members who felt somewhat unsure of the program, but the vast majority of the fire fighters were most receptive and have treated the cadets as working fire fighters. Two cadets were recently commended by the department for assisting in the rescue of a young mother and her child.
All six cadets have expressed positive attitudes about their roles and feel the year’s experience, along with the courses they are completing in the fire science program, will enable them to be better prepared for fire service employment.
Five cadets specifically desire fire department employment. The sixth would also like to become a member of a fire department, but he prefers to specialize as an EMT or paramedic.
There are plans to expand the cadet program to other municipal fire departments in the area, contingent upon acceptance by the city governments. The hope is also to expand the concept into the areas of industry, insurance, and fire protection so that students can be assigned for practical training under the direction of an industrial safety or loss control manager, or fire protection engineer.
