Darleene Barrientos
The Glendale Fire Department is just about ready to welcome six new
colleagues.
Officials are conducting background checks of candidates 21 and
older who have passed rigorous written and oral exams for the
department's new cadet program, which will supplement the Explorer
program, which is for candidates from 16 to 21. Each program employs
a person for three years.
Out of 165 candidates, the department will choose six cadets to
work in different divisions as hourly civilian employees, Glendale
Fire Battalion Chief Harold Scoggins said. Scoggins heads the
training division for the department.
Cadets might be assigned to work in the administration, fire
prevention, training or emergency services offices, he said.
"It will [be] the missing link from between Explorer and
firefighter recruit," Scoggins said. "[Cadets] should be our future
top candidates."
When Glendale Fire holds open recruitment for a firefighter
position, the department receives up to 3,000 applications, Scoggins
said.
The new cadet program is focused on recruiting people from
Glendale and its surrounding communities, and its men and women will
represent the different ethnic backgrounds of the city, Scoggins
said.
The program is the department's effort to incorporate the
community into its ranks.
"It gives [people who want to be firefighters] a foot in the door
to know what the fire service is about," he said.
The experience is invaluable, said Brian Murphy, who works as a
paramedic with Station 29. Murphy was a Glendale Fire Explorer from
1992 through 1995 and was hired for a full-time position in 1997.
"The whole basis of program is for [people] who think they're
interested to get a chance to see what it's all about so they can
direct their education toward firefighting," Murphy said. "I've had
seven of my good friends who were Explorers get hired as
firefighters."
While working as an Explorer or a cadet, a person will learn from
the exposure to firefighters, engineers and paramedics. Anyone who is
not sure about pursuing a firefighting career will be able to decide
easily after taking a 24-hour ride-along with a company, he said.
Spending an entire day with a company means seeing all the
different aspects of fire station life -- like doing chores, cleaning
the rigs, working fire prevention and performing inspections.
"Twenty-four-hour ride-alongs are definitely an eye-opener,"
Murphy said.
