Departments are finding it increasingly more difficult to find new members.

That is not to say there are no young people moving into the ranks.

There are junior firefighters stepping up at volunteer fire departments all over Warren County.

Jakobe Anthony and Allison Cressley are among them.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Junior Firefighters Allison Cressley of Starbrick Volunteer Fire Department and Jakobe Anthony of Glade Volunteer Fire Department are doubling up on their training. In addition to being junior firefighters at their local departments, they are both in the Warren County Career Center protective services program.

Anthony, a junior firefighter at Glade Volunteer Fire Department, and Cressley, with Starbrick Volunteer Fire Department, are both students in the Warren County Career Center’s Protective Services Program.

Neither started out in the program expecting to follow a career path that included firefighting.

“I wanted to be a police officer,” Anthony, who is in his third year in the WCCC program, said. “That changed. I saw what the different career paths entailed… firefighting appealed. I decided to take that path.”

“I joined the Glade Volunteer Fire Department junior program about a year and a half ago,” he said. He will soon age out of the junior program and become a senior firefighter.

“I wanted to be a detective,” Cressley, a second-year WCCC student, said.

After units on both law enforcement and firefighting, she also decided on firefighting. “I enjoyed that one a lot more,” she said. “I went to Starbrick Volunteer Fire Department, learned more about the junior program, and signed up.”

Both are enjoying their time in the junior program.

“One of the best parts is the training,” Cressley said. From ladders to interior searches and spraying water, she has enjoyed learning and practicing.

“It’s the endless opportunities that are presented to you,” Anthony said. “You can take classes at the awareness level to introduce you to those fields.”

They are enjoying the programs, but they wouldn’t be the same without the people.

“It’s the family aspect for me,” Anthony said. “Having those people you can rely on and look up to to help motivate you… it’s really helpful. You know you’re not alone.”

“The Starbrick officers made me know that I can do it and am capable of everything in the fire service,” Cressley said. “They push me to be better.”

The career center program has been a boon to both junior firefighters.

“People in Warren County know about the protective services program,” Cressley said. “That gives us a leg up.”

“It gives us EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) certification,” Anthony said. “It’s the lowest certification, but it introduces you.” He is already working on his EMT – B through the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional College.

Recently, a Pennsylvania child-labor law that prevented junior firefighters from entering burning structures. As of January, a junior firefighter who is 17 years old may enter a burning building with permission from a parent or chief.

Neither Cressley nor Anthony has been called to a fire since Jan. 1. At past incidents, they played supporting roles. They helped pump the trucks, retrieve tools, give water to the senior firefighters, and switch out bottles in air packs.

The changes open up opportunities.

“It gives junior firefighters that sense that they are listened to and there is that final stage that is available,” Anthony said. “Juniors are very limited in what they are allowed to do. Having that level available to them, personally, I think is crucial.”

“It gives us more opportunity for our future,” Cressley said. “I want to go into the military for firefighting. One of the requirements is to have experience.”

‘Interior firefighter’ is a level four training. “Having module 4 can give us more opportunities when we turn 18 to go and get paid for firefighting,” she said.

“You can never have too much training,” Anthony said.

“Training makes us better at what we do,” Cressley said.

In the end, being a firefighter is about serving and protecting.

“I enjoy helping people,” Cressley said. “It makes me feel better knowing they’re safe.”

“We have their backs,” Anthony said. “They’re having the worst day of their life – they at least know we’re there to help them.”