NSFD Explorer Post 243

The North Syracuse Fire Department developed a program to help expose young adults to the opportunities offered in the fire service by establishing a Fire Exploring program.

This program is offered to local students ages 14-18 and teaches participants (Explorers) the duties of a firefighter using lecture and hands on techniques. It is the hope of the North Syracuse Fire Department that these explorers might join the ranks of the fire department upon graduation of high school and their 18th birthday.

This program is a new program that recently replaced a Junior Firefighter program that was first created over 12 years ago. The program currently has 8 members and holds its business meeting on the first Thursday of every month at Fire Station 1 at 7:00 pm. Drills are held twice a month. Drills are posted on a monthly basis and are one additional Thursday night and one Saturday morning each month.
 

Explorers are encouraged to participate in Parades, Special Events and other Fire Department Functions.  They are issued departmental pagers as well as turnout gear with Orange Helmets.  They are encouraged to come to the station during calls where they can, under very strict supervision and permission by incident command, respond to calls (with an advisor acting as an escort) to help firefighters with non-critical roles such as clean-up, equipment maintenance etc. 

Post 243 is very active. Projects include participating in firematic competitions with other local posts at the New York Air National Guard base in East Syracuse and possibly traveling to the New York State Fire Academy for a special Explorer's Weekend, where they will meet other explorers and junior firefighters from around the state. They plan events for fund raising, put on demonstrations at fire safety day and help firefighters with responsibilities around the stations.

Anyone wanting information about the program should contact the program's Lead Officer Advisor at (315) 458-1920

Officer Advisors

LT. Norm Gauthier Jr. (Lead Advisor)
LT. Fred German

LT. Gary Wilmer

Advisors

F/F Joe Asztalos

F/F-Paramedic Mike Bridenbaker

Explorer Post 243 Photo Gallery