Junior firefighter programs give young people the chance to learn about local fire, rescue, and emergency medical services response organizations in a safe, controlled, educational, and fun way while providing departments with an excellent recruitment mechanism.
Reaching out to people when they are young has long-range effects, and encouraging youth to take part in the emergency services is extremely beneficial to local communities and departments.
In the Austrian fire departments the Feuerwehrjugend acts as a reservoir for young members as voluntary firefighters.
When they are 18 years old they pass to volunteer firemen without any type of process depending on the department, they get their own uniform and are generally led by a lieutenant instructor, and the rest of the instruction team, and formed by Cadets.
In most German states, they are not allowed to take part in real emergencies until their 16th or 18th birthday, when they may join the regular fire department.
In United States, the Fire Service Exploring is a program offered by Learning for Life, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America.