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By Joshua Blount, WKQC News 

(Illinois City, IL) The Muscatine Fire Department and other sponsors, joined at Camp Loud Thunder in Illinois City to host its first-ever Midwest Fire Explorer Day. The event was held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday.

Leaders of the event say it focuses on fire-related and team-building activities for people ages 14 to 21 who are interested in becoming a firefighters.

“With this program, we’re trying to build up kids, you know, and and have the interest and firefighting to begin with, and watch them develop. So that way when they become 18, or 21, depending on what department they can actually go straight and apply to the department with already having a background and a good rapport with the department,” said Michael Fleming, Midwest Fire Explorer Day Instructor.

Fleming, who is also a firefighter for the Muscatine Fire Department says the Saturday individuals did several activities including firefighter drags, zip-lining, rappelling and rock climbing. He says that it’s watching the attendees build up their confidence over time that makes a difference.

“When they first started trying to go up the rock wall are some of the obstacles, you know, some of that stuff can be a little bit scary. So watching them, work through their fears, keep going keep pushing, you know, building the confidence up in the kids is, you know, always a great thing to see,” said Fleming.

Fire officials at Saturday’s event say that departments across the nation are seeing a decrease in applications. One theory is its the demand that is placed on them to be both firefighters and EMS.

Ava Acker and Kimberly Madson are two young ladies who are interested in firefighting and say that they have what it takes.

“I got into this, like, the explorer program when I was a freshman. And now I’m going to my senior year, and I went, and I did like hero academy in Des Moines at camp dodge, and then that gotten me into like, joining the National Guard and everything. And I feel like, if I do that, and I was in the EMT, like class, but I feel like that will help me like become like a super cool firefighter. One day in the future,” said Ava Acker, who is a 17-year-old fire explorer.

Madson also said she comes from an emergency services background.

“My dad is actually he was ems and now he’s a deputy sheriff, for Muscatine County. And then a family friend of ours, we have a lot of people in the fire field and law enforcement, know, knowing that they’re helping people and out there risking their lives to help others makes me want to go out there and help others as well,” said Madson.

Despite this only being the first time for the event, Fleming says he feels it’s one key to helping bring growth to the firefighting field.

“Having this opportunity to do these type of training gives them a huge head start though, and a lot of firefighters today actually came from exploring type programs, cadet programs, things like that, when they were younger, they develop a passion for the job and ended up wanting to do it as a career,” said Fleming.

Leaders of the event say at least 13 explorers came out for Saturday’s event and they are planning to hold another one in 2025 next year.

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