NVFC Honors 2022 Junior Firefighter Program of the Year

May 3, 2022

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) recognized the Rowlett (TX) Explorer Post One as its Junior Firefighter Program of the Year for 2022. The award is sponsored by California Casualty. The junior firefighters received their award during a special ceremony on April 19 at a meeting of the Rowlett City Council.

Tim Rutland, NVFC director from Texas and executive director of the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, presented the award. In addition, state representative Angie Chen Button and John Vick, district director at Texas Senate District 2 for Bob Hall, attended the ceremony and presented honors to the junior firefighters.

To watch the video of the ceremony, click here and then click the index option for 5B or else scroll to time stamp 9:12.

Rowlett Explorer Post One is chartered by the Rowlett Citizen Corps Council and co-sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) Learning for Life Exploring Program and the Rowlett Fire Department. The post works closely with the Rowlett Fire Department to integrate training and opportunities for learning where possible.

The program develops in its members a culture of leadership, service to others, and a commitment to community involvement. The Explorers participate in or host many events including preparedness education, fire extinguisher training, smoke alarm blitzes, recycling drives, merit badge seminars, and first aid trainings. Each year the Explorers donate thousands of hours in volunteer service.

Activities the post engaged in during 2021 include the following:

• In February, the Explorers joined Rowlett Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members to train with Rowlett Fire Department’s Swiftwater Rescue Team. They learned about basic inflatable rescue boat operations, how to swim and protect yourself in moving water, and how to work as a team to rescue victims trapped by water.
• The post participated in the BSA Circle Ten Council’s Venturing Rendezvous event in March, providing a fire engine and bunker gear for the event. Venturers and Scouts were able to explore the fire engine, try on the gear, and put out a live fire using a charged fire hose.
• Three Explorers and four advisors traveled to the Sid Richardson Scout Ranch in April, where they learned how to climb, rappel, and run climbing programs for BSA youth. All seven attendees completed their instructor training and became certified BSA climbing instructors.
• Post One leadership annually teaches a youth leadership seminar to Explorers in Circle Ten posts (which encompasses central north Texas and portions of Oklahoma). The 2021 event, hosted at the Rowlett Community Centre, taught nearly a hundred Explorers about leadership traits, values, and principles that they were able to take back to their individual posts.
• In June, the post hosted its annual high adventure event, where a dozen advisors and Explorers spent a week traveling down the Current River in the Ozark National Forest by canoe. Members improved their team building, increased their canoe skills, and practiced their outdoor survival skills.
• The post hosted Circle Ten’s annual Explorer Fire Games in July at the Rowlett Fire Training facility. The event received great feedback from both attending Explorers and supervising advisors.

The Junior Firefighter Program of the Year Award was presented at a local ceremony to provide all members the opportunity to attend. The NVFC recognized its other annual award winners at its spring meeting on April 8. Learn more here.

About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical tools, resources, education, programs, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Find out more at www.nvfc.org.

About California Casualty
California Casualty has been the chosen Auto & Home Insurance provider for first responders across the nation for over four decades. They offer their members affordable customized coverage and exclusive benefits tailored uniquely to their profession, like turnout gear coverage for firefighters. They proudly show support for first responders by partnering with organizations like the NVFC for sponsored events, and awards like the NVFC’s Junior Firefighter of the Year Award and the Junior Firefighter Program of the Year Award. Find out why thousands of firefighters choose California Casualty to protect their families at www.calcas.com/nvfc.