Phillips starts junior firefighting program

PHILLIPS — Rural fire departments are saying the struggle to replace retiring firefighters is serious as more young men and women who struggle with jobs and family can’t dedicate the time. Some departments are utilizing a junior firefighting program to introduce youth to firefighting with the hope they stay on as adults.

The Phillips Junior Firefighter program was approved by the Phillips Common Council at the Feb. 6 meeting. The program, modeled after the Fifield Fire Department program, was reviewed and found to satisfy legal and insurance questions before the recommendation was given to approve.

Interested youth who are age 16 or 17 may fill out an application, which includes space to state why they want to join, according to Phillips Fire Chief David Lontcosiki. If approved, the new members learn what they can and can’t do as junior firefighters and understand that they must maintain C average or better in school to remain eligible.

“It might be an incentive to get their grades up if they want to be in the program,” Lontcoski said.

The policy allows for up to four junior firefighters, he said. There is currently one already approved for the department already another youth is interested, he said.

“They can reach out to us and we can give them an application,” Lontcoski said. “It’s for someone who has time and wants to be dedicated and is able to be here.”

The first junior firefighter is Logan Lontcaski, the 16-year-old son of Chief Lontcoski, and is a third generation firefighter. His late grandfather, George Lontcoski, served on the Phillips Fire Department for 37 years along with the Central Price County Ambulance Service.

Logan said he completed the application and required paperwork. He was pleased when the department members voted to allow him to join.

“It’s really cool,” Logan said. “It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.”

Logan attends the training meetings and is allowed on fire calls but is not allowed into buildings or what the department refers to as the “collapse zone,” an area that is at risk of due to structural damage caused by the fire.

“Where you’d be in major danger,” Logan said.

Logan is allowed to start firefighter 1 training at Northcentral Technical College. Once he is 18 then he will be ready to be certified as a Firefighter 1 and no longer a junior firefighter.

Logan wasn’t recruited. He approached his father with interest once the Phillips Common Council approved the junior firefighter program.

“He said, ‘I want to do it,’ and so he’s our first junior firefighter,” Lontcoski said. “He’s doing a lot. He goes with us on everything.”

Logan responds to every call just like the firefighters. The only exception is while he is in school.

“Because education comes first,” Lontcoski said.

Jodi Kozak, who is Chief Lontcoski’s sister, also grew up in a family of firefighters and is a second generation firefighter herself. She has been with the department for two years.

“I grew up with it and have been around my whole life, I love it,” she said. “It’s exactly what I dreamed of. The adrenaline is amazing.”