Information
Our Mission (also stated on the introduction page)
The St. Louis Fire Explorer Post 9402 is a career development program, aimed at the fire service, sponsored by the City of St. Louis Fire Department. The Post is comprised of adolescents aging between 14 and 21 years old who assist the Fire Department in community service and on the fire scenes.
The Fire Explorer program allows students to gain a better understanding of the Fire Service and its career opportunities and provides valuable support to the St. Louis Fire Department.
Fire Explorers complete a training program to learn about the St. Louis Fire Department and to prepare themselves for a career in the Fire Service. Weekly meetings attended by the Explorers provide them with instructions in areas such as Fire Safety, Operations and Procedures, and Fire Tactics.
The Explorer Post assists the St. Louis Fire Department on fire scenes. We respond to fires that are 1 alarm or greater. When Explorers arrive on scene they are to report to the commanding officer for an assignment. Explorers on a fire scene are mainly assigned to exterior attacks, salvage, overhauling operations, and loading of equipment.
Usually on Friday and Saturday nights Explorers ride on the Salvation Army "Canteen". The Canteen is a mobile kitchen that has the ability to serve food and drinks to firefighters on a fire scene. Explorers respond to fires in the St. Louis Area and serve food and drink to firefighters and emergency personnel at the scene.
The Explorer Post assists the St. Louis FD with the St. Louis FD "Safe House". The Safe House is a mock house on wheels. The Safe House can be taken to schools, or large public events. The house is equipped with a smoke machine to simulate a fire in the house. Firefighters then teach children how to successfully evacuate their house from a second story window and down an escape ladder. Explorers run the smoke machine, talk to children, and assist the children in climbing down the ladder.
Communications within the Post
Communications in the Explorer Post are handled by the Communications Officer. All Explorers in the post carry alphanumeric pagers. The Communications Officer can page the group, informing them of meeting changes, information updates, or of large fires in the city. The paging system is used much like radios in a Fire Department. When an Explorer responds to a multiple alarm fire, (s)he must first contact the EOC (Emergency Operations Center). They must state their name, DSN, description of the call, and the location of the call. The EOC will then page the rest of the group relaying the information from the responding Explorer. The Advisors of the post are then fully aware of what the Explorers are doing.
The Firefighter level tests were written by the Advisors of the Post so that explorers would have certain levels of education. There are three levels; Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2, and Firefighter 3. Firefighter 1 is the most basic and Firefighter 3 is the most advanced. The following is a list of the requirements for each level.
Firefighter 1/Introductory Level:
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Firefighter 2/Intermediate:
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Firefighter 3/Advanced
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To pass each course level the Explorer must pass a written test and a
"hands on" test. To pass the test the Explorer must make an 80% or better.
Anything below 80% is considered a failing grade. The written tests are supplied by the
Post Advisors.
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