At the Dec. 2 board meeting of Explorers Post 2305, nearly every agenda item was placed on hold.
The career-based program teaches, trains and certifies members ages 14-20 to become firefighters - an important role in keeping up with the need for first responders, said Catoosa County Fire Chief Randy Camp.
But with the Catoosa County Fire Department absorbing the Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department, which hosts the program, effective Jan. 1, the fate of the post is unknown. At that December board meeting, they operated under the assumption that the post would close at the end of December.
Camp said he would like to continue the program county-wide, but because of the change in sponsorship from city to county, a lapse may occur as they work out a new structure for the group. Since the county cannot assume ownership of Fort Oglethorpe's department until 2020, the county cannot take over the post yet, he explained in an interview on Dec. 3.
"The program is important to the future of firefighters," said Camp.
Fort Oglethorpe Explorers Post 2305 began in 1995, when Camp was the city's fire chief. Members train each Monday night performing drills. They learn how to safely put out fires and practice first aid, and after reaching 40 hours of training, they are allowed to pick up shifts with the station, riding along with professional firefighters.
Fort Oglethorpe volunteer firefighter Chris Salter has advised the Explorers since 2001. He estimates that about 98% of alumni became career firefighters or entered the medical field, pursuing careers like EMT and nurse.
"I've learned a lot about what a fire department is. Not just how it works, but the principles of working with a team, too," said post captain Jaden Baltzer, 17.
Before she was born, her father volunteered with the Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department. Jaden joined the Explorers in September 2018.
Thaed Gunn, 16, first took an interest in becoming a firefighter after watching a movie about 9/11 in eighth grade. Brandon McBryar, 17, joined when he was 13 because his older brother was an Explorer. Kyle Pierce, 18, had friends who were firefighters. Dalon Sampley, 19, had been around firefighters his whole life, admiring his grandfather's work. He was recently recruited by the Catoosa County Fire Department.
"Explorers have been one of the better programs to turn out career firefighters," Salter said.
At the last meeting, he announced the contact information of a junior firefighter program in Collegedale that members could consider if the county cannot keep up the program.
Email Sabrina Bodon at sbodon@timesfreepress.com