The South Windsor Volunteer Fire Department has been working to save and better the lives of South Windsor citizens since 1938. In order to connect with the community and teens of the town, the department offers a program called the Explorers program. The program invites teens ages 14-17 who are interested in training in similar topics as the 18+ volunteers in the town.
Run by Scott Fine, South Windsor’s Explorers program is the oldest active program in the state of Connecticut. Fine, who has been working with the SW Fire Department for years, went through the Explorers program himself. They meet at South Windsor’s Station 3 on Mondays, from 7-9 PM.
To the members of the Explorers, the program has offered countless irreplaceable experiences for them.
“One of the most valuable moments that I’ve experienced when being part of the Explorers was watching all of my peers grow in skill and overcome their fears. Seeing people change for the better and improve at things they were scared of at the beginning has been amazing,” said Julia Falletti, a member of the Explorers program.
The Explorers have many roles within the department, besides just learning firefighting skills. They have the opportunity to go on calls that the 18+ firefighters respond to, and help to make things more readily available for the adults on the job and aid the firefighting process.
Every year, the Explorers also get to be a part of the fire department’s annual visit to every elementary school and preschool in town. Explorers get to come along with the fire department to help teach children valuable skills that the department can offer.
“Visiting daycares and elementary schools was very memorable for me,” said Dylan Riedel, who has been a part of the Explorers program since November of 2021. He has valued everything about the program for years now, and encourages teens to join.
“When I first joined, I didn’t realize what the program really was,” Shane Sylvester, a lieutenant at the Explorers, admitted. “But once I was really in it, I started feeling better as a person. I got new friends and started making a name for myself, and felt myself becoming confident.”
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Two Explorers practice shooting a fire hose, one of the skills they learn.
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Explorers pose in front of Engine 8 at their weekly Monday meeting.
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The South Windsor Explorers program consist of teens age 14-17, committed to giving back to the community.
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“To anyone who wants to join, I would really encourage them to just do it. Even if you aren’t interested in the fire service, still join because it’s a really good opportunity. You learn leadership skills and it really plays out later in life–there are lots of helpful benefits that come out of the program even after you graduate,” Carlo Papa, who was recently awarded at the Annual Firefighters Dinner in representation of the Explorers told The Prowl.
The Explorers program has been looking for a way to spread their program around the town for years now. They hope to continue to generate support and awareness of the program, and perhaps even find a way to come to SWHS and do what they do for the younger children of the town for teens as well.
“It’s family here, really. We generate a feeling of camaraderie that I feel has really been lost this generation. The best part of it has been when kids, fifteen, ten years down the road, come back and tell me how much the program changed them,” another firefighter who helps out with the explorers program, Robin Pendleton, commented.
If you are interested in joining the Explorers program, you can email Scott Fine at [email protected].
