SFD Junior Firefighter Squad
Established 2002
The Southampton Fire Department Juniors program was started with the goals of involving the youth of our community in a positive healthy activity, to benefit the department with new recruits and to help foster the spirit of volunteerism in our community. A small committee was formed and worked on the idea. It took a couple of years to corroborate insurance and write the by-laws. We decided to run the program similar to the way our companies are organized. With this in mind, the by-laws were sent to council with a proposal to elect officers and to have the first Friday of every month a meeting night and the third Friday of every month a drill night.
On Friday, October 25, 2002 Doug Dolliver called an informative meeting for all interested youths, boys and girls ages 12-18, at Windmill Lane firehouse. This is when the fun began because half way through our first Juniors meeting, the fire alarm sounded throughout the firehouse because the building across the street was on fire! What a front row show the kids and there families got. Everyone hung out the second floor windows of the firehouse and watched the firemen arrive, set up the truck and fight the fire. Reality hit when parents realized their cars were blocked in the driveway and they couldn’t go home. The kids were hooked and the Juniors Fire Program was now born.
On January 3, 2003 Matthew Shimkus was appointed Captain and Leesie Perry was appointed 1st Lieutenant by the senior advisors. The served for the remainder of the year and this was the beginning of the Juniors running themselves. The accumulated old gear, came up with drills, attracted more members and became more organized. On December 19, 2003 they had their first election. Voting in Leesie Parry as Captain and Adam Speckenback as 1st Lieutenant. The elections have followed on the first Friday in December ever since, as all companies hold their election in December. On July 13, 2005 the Juniors made some revisions to their by-laws and it was decided to add a 2nd Lieutenant to the roster. Ricky Fowler was voted in as the first 2nd Lieutenant. At the present time, we are running with a membership of 19 Juniors. It is a strong group of kids with lots of energy. Their community service has no end, for they have actively helped with the fire department sponsored blood drives, department drills and help with the annual muster and parades. There have been lots of great drills involving all five companies, and this has given members a feeling of for the whole department. For the first time, fire school is was offered and completed by the Juniors this past summer for kids ages 14-18.
The advisors worried how they would ever top that first meeting night at the firehouse.
On Friday, October 25, 2002 Doug Dolliver called an informative meeting for all interested youths, boys and girls ages 12-18, at Windmill Lane firehouse. This is when the fun began because half way through our first Juniors meeting, the fire alarm sounded throughout the firehouse because the building across the street was on fire! What a front row show the kids and there families got. Everyone hung out the second floor windows of the firehouse and watched the firemen arrive, set up the truck and fight the fire. Reality hit when parents realized their cars were blocked in the driveway and they couldn’t go home. The kids were hooked and the Juniors Fire Program was now born.
On January 3, 2003 Matthew Shimkus was appointed Captain and Leesie Perry was appointed 1st Lieutenant by the senior advisors. The served for the remainder of the year and this was the beginning of the Juniors running themselves. The accumulated old gear, came up with drills, attracted more members and became more organized. On December 19, 2003 they had their first election. Voting in Leesie Parry as Captain and Adam Speckenback as 1st Lieutenant. The elections have followed on the first Friday in December ever since, as all companies hold their election in December. On July 13, 2005 the Juniors made some revisions to their by-laws and it was decided to add a 2nd Lieutenant to the roster. Ricky Fowler was voted in as the first 2nd Lieutenant. At the present time, we are running with a membership of 19 Juniors. It is a strong group of kids with lots of energy. Their community service has no end, for they have actively helped with the fire department sponsored blood drives, department drills and help with the annual muster and parades. There have been lots of great drills involving all five companies, and this has given members a feeling of for the whole department. For the first time, fire school is was offered and completed by the Juniors this past summer for kids ages 14-18.
The advisors worried how they would ever top that first meeting night at the firehouse.