“There’s kind of a bond here where all these kids are in this together,” said the young Scarborough firefighter.
SCARBOROUGH, Maine — The number of volunteer firefighters nationwide hit a 35-year low in 2020, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Meanwhile, the number of calls to firefighting operations has tripled, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
More than 65 children attended Scarborough’s junior firefighters convocation on Sunday, demonstrating a desire for the next generation to fill the gap.
Camden Jiga, 17, showed off his firefighting skills at the rally. The public watched as Jigga and dozens of other children took turns installing valves on the hydrants, connecting them to hoses and fire trucks, and eventually filling the pipes with gushing water.
“That’s how we get water at the fire scene. It’s our water source and our lifeline,” Jiga said.
Jigga, who is still in high school, may not have a career as a firefighter yet, but he is learning the skills to one day have a career in the industry.
“I’m looking forward to it all week.” On Sunday, Jiga will participate in Scarborough’s Junior Firefighter Program. Through firefighting training and scenarios, he learned about lifesaving work, which he says has already impacted his life.
“There’s kind of a bond here where all these kids are together,” he said.
That bond was especially evident at the rally, which brought together young firefighters from all over Maine.
“We get to meet other kids who share the same passion as us and show the town what we can do,” Jiga said.
Many of the different drills the group learned were performed together in front of an audience.
“The first year we did this, the committee and I came up with the slogan ‘The Future of Maine Fire Protection,’ and that’s what it is,” said Capt. Darian Granata of the Scarborough Fire Department.
Granata created this event as a way to showcase the hard work of children and remind the public why it is important to offer a junior program.
“Communities are evolving, and if fire departments don’t have proper supply programs, they will disappear. It becomes a problem for society,” Granata said.
Granata said she hopes the kids who participated Sunday will someday have careers.
Jiga said if the training he’s doing is anything like the job, he’ll keep going.
“This is one of a kind and you can’t get it anywhere else. How close we are and the friendships we’ve made here will last forever. It’s perfect,” he said.
