Is There an Explorer Advisor in You?
As we all know, being an instructor doesn’t necessarily mean working for a municipality. While certainly obtaining the title of an instructor is a laudable goal that maybe comes with an embroidered shirt and hat so everyone knows you are a fire instructor, there are more important ways to teach within the fire service. There is also being a company officer and even just a seasoned member willing to give your time and experience to some younger firefighters. Arguably, there is also one very important position that at times is often overlooked as far as being an instructor and that is being an advisor for an Explorer Post.
Being an advisor for an Explorer Post not only encompasses teaching fire service drills but also taking on the responsibility for young adults in all aspects of the fire service including but not limited to social and community events, marches, drills, etc... The fact that Explorer posts are a consistent source and pipeline for new members only increases the significance of the position. Thus, an advisor/instructor for an Explorer post has a much more varied position than just a municipal instructor that focuses on mostly on drills and firematics.
First and foremost, if you are looking to be an instructor for an Explorer post is a reminder that unlike most fire service instruction it isn’t ADULT education. When teaching adolescents there are certain aspects that MUST be adhered to at ALL TIMES. For example, you would need to take some kind of youth protection course and insist that all other instructors in the Post do the same. Secondly, always have at least two instructors present at all times and if there are any female Explorers make sure to have a female advisor as well. Also, although many Explorer instructors are parents (of an Explorer in the Post) that doesn’t make them good instructors of adolescents. It would also be advantageous then to take a secondary education or adolescent psychology course.
From a drilling standpoint, the main task is designing an engaging lesson. This task is easier said than done. Realistically, Explorer officers should design their own drills but they will still be modeling your plans so it is important to design lessons correctly. It is also important to remember that lesson plans also serve as a step-by-step guide to ensure productivity and that the only “down time” is planned and not as a result of a lack of focus on the part of the advisor or officers.
To simplify a lesson for Explorers, start with goals and objectives. These are often listed together but are very different. Goals are WHAT you want to accomplish while objectives are WHY you want to accomplish them. What is the point of learning this skill? An example of a goal would be to learn to tie a clove hitch, while an objective or purpose would be to safely and efficiently haul equipment to a second story. There may be several goals while the objective remains the same. In our example there may be several knots that are used to safely haul equipment to a second story. Be careful not to fall into a rut and use generic objectives such as “to satisfy a firefighter requirement.” That is an outcome certainly but will be ineffective to motivate a teenager. Instead, write your objectives based on the question “How does learning this skill make me a better firefighter?”
Next is the introduction or “bell-ringer”; an attention getter. This is very easy in the fire service since there are so many attention-grabbing props from a set of irons to different nozzle tips to forcible entry tools. Make sure you plan a thorough explanation of any tool(s) and provide a demonstration by yourself or more experienced firefighters. Recorded fire scenes and dispatch calls are also great in this regard. Start by asking a question that students can’t answer until the lesson is over; thereby forcing them to think and find the answer throughout the entire lesson. The introduction can also be considered the WHO since this is also where you would first present and introduce any guest speakers.
Subsequent sections of a lesson plan include HOW as in “How am I going to accomplish the goals and objectives?” This is called the procedure. Going back to our example of knots, how will tying a clove hitch be taught? Providing a section of rope that your company uses is a good start. Perhaps show a video or have a knot expert demonstrate. How much time are you going to allocate to learning how to tie a specific knot? Keep your plans as simple as possible to smoothly transition from one skill to the next, but at the same time don’t deny yourself any additional procedural guidance.
In education there are always “standards” that guide the curriculum and the fire service is no different in that regard. Standards should be reflected in your lesson plan. In fact, your procedure may literally be done for you depending on the thoroughness of the skill sheets used. For example, in order to certify an Explorer on the use of knots or for SCBA use there are certain skills that need to be completed and/or certified by an officer. Those listed skills can substitute as a good portion of the lesson plan, so don’t reinvent the wheel.
As a teacher, I can honestly say that there is no such thing as a perfect lesson plan. There is always something that can and will go wrong, so don’t panic if you have to briefly “wing it.” Always rely on your training and with your confidence your Explorers will be engaged.
Being an Explorer advisor isn’t just firematic instruction because there is an element of satisfaction beyond just instructing firefighters. You will be responsible for mentoring young men and women teaching them to be ladies and gentlemen. One day its how to use a Halligan during a forcible entry drill and the next showing how to tie a tie for a Memorial Day parade. It’s about showing the very character and fabric of the fire service. The end result will be higher recruitment and retention for the volunteer firefighter ranks which benefits all our communities.
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