Junior and RAMs

Start something bigger than yourself, before you even graduate.

The Chili Fire Department has trained young people for the fire service for over 50 years, and today that tradition continues through two programs built specifically for teens: Junior Members (ages 13 to 15) and Restricted Active Members, or RAMs (ages 16 to 17). Both give you real training, real mentorship, and a real head start, whether you dream of a career in fire, EMS, or medicine, or you just want to be the kind of person your community can count on.

For teens: this is not a club. It's the real thing (safely).

You'll learn actual fire service skills from the people who do it for real, with training, activities, and hands-on experience matched carefully to your age. You'll build confidence, discipline, teamwork, and leadership that show up everywhere else in your life: in school, on teams, in job interviews, and on college applications. You'll make friends and mentors across generations. And you'll get a genuine preview of one of the most respected callings there is, years before most people ever get the chance.

Junior Members (13 to 15) are introduced to the fire service through structured training, educational activities, and supervised, hands-on experiences, building the fundamentals, teamwork, and safety awareness that prepare you for more.

Restricted Active Members (16 to 17) step up to advanced training and take part in designated department activities under clear, age-appropriate guidelines, so that the day you turn 18, you're ready to become a full member if you choose to.

For parents: what this gives your teen.

Ask any parent of a member and you'll hear the same things: their teen grew up a little. The programs are built around mentorship, safety, and age-appropriate structure. Young people are never put in harm's way, and every activity is supervised and matched to their age and training. What your teen gains is harder to measure and easy to see: confidence, responsibility, discipline, a positive peer group, adult role models who care, and a sense of purpose that comes from serving something larger than themselves. Many go on to careers in fire, EMS, healthcare, and public service. Many more simply become steadier, more capable young adults. It's one of the best environments in this town for a teenager to grow up in.

Curious? Reach out and we'll walk you and your teen through everything. No commitment.

Ask About Junior & RAM > Call 585-889-2873 · Email volunteer@chilifire.org