First responders are always needed, especially in a state like New Jersey where there’s a surplus of nearby, large cities that often need assistance. One of these branches of first responders is firefighters, a continuously growing field. With an urgent need for more firefighters, some younger people have taken the opportunity to get an early start in the field.

One of our own, here at Cinnaminson High School, senior Gavin McGough, is a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter. 

In his short time in the field, he’s already accomplished many things he’s proud of. 

“So far, obviously being cleared to go on calls was a big accomplishment for me, I was very excited about that,” McGough said.

In August he went through an emergency medical response class and became certified after a month-long class.

“In August I went through an emergency medical response class so I got certified for that, which is just a step down from EMT,” McGough explained. “It was a month-long class and I completed that.”   

For McGough, serving as a first responder has familial connections.

“I had connections to the department through my Uncle Paul McDonough, he is a battalion chief as a volunteer,” McGough said.

McGough has been in the program for years at this point, originally joining in 2021, but due to the continued complications of Covid at the time he had to cut his training short when the department closed for a few months. Once restrictions were lifted, he quickly returned to learn more.

“So I joined back in December of 2021 in my freshman year…” McGough said. “Then in March of 2022 I was officially an explorer.”

During this training to become an actual member, there are a handful of tests, mainly including the apparatus. After a few months of working, training, and getting to know the department and work as a whole, trainees gain more freedom and the ability to branch out as a junior firefighter.

As a high school student trying to balance academics and training in the fire department, McGough said because it is a volunteer position, he has more flexibility. 

“As long as you show up and actively participate there’s no issues with it,” McGough said about managing his schedule. 

When McGough first joined, there were only a handful of volunteers, which he said gave him a huge opportunity to learn a lot one-on-one. 

“So my first month, which was March of 2022, it was really just me and two other explorers so we didn’t really have a whole lot of people there, but that also gave me a huge opportunity to learn a lot,” McGough said. “I learned a lot in that first month, and I’m still learning just as much now. The fire service is always changing, there is always something you can learn.”

Much of McGough’s learning about the field comes through hands-on experiences rather than formal classroom instruction.  

“It’s not often you’re able to be exposed to this much hands-on and practical training at 17 years old, and I’m very fortunate to be able to go on calls and do all this training with all the members of the Cinnaminson Fire Department,” McGough said. 

As a junior firefighter, McGough said there are limits to what he can do. For example, he cannot enter hazardous areas. However, McGough said he can still learn from interacting with fellow members of the community and helping those he can in his limited setting.

“I am limited to being exterior,” McGough explained. “I’m not allowed to go into any hazardous areas, like burning buildings – I obviously can’t go inside of. I’m not allowed to operate any heavy machinery like chainsaws or anything like that, and I’m not allowed to exit the truck on highway motor vehicle accidents due to safety concerns.”

He also often works with other nearby towns, in a safety deal between Cinnaminson, Palmyra, and Riverton, known as the “Tri-Boro.” They often act together to help manage events or to handle more hazardous situations and more efficiently contain the issue.

According to McGough, when he is needed at the department, contact is traditional and normal. There is no sprinting when you hear sirens or hurrying to every last-second event. Instead, he said he is usually contacted by pager or phone. Along with that, there is a schedule the firehouse follows, letting him know when a meeting or training will be held.

There are also volunteer-focused nights that McGough attends.  

“So we do have scheduled training, on Thursday nights are our explorer/junior firefighter nights. That’s weekly, but we’re off for holidays or if there’s not enough members that can make it, but that’s usually every week.” 

In addition to responding to calls, the fire department also participates in the community through charity work. The firehouse does a lot of charity work to raise money for causes like breast cancer awareness through their “Paint the Town Pink” car shows.

As his 18th birthday nears, McGough said he’ll no longer be an underage firefighter, which means he’ll have to reapply and start pushing a bit harder, putting more focus on his role in the community.

“At 18, I have to reapply to the fire company and I have to make a certain amount of drills, a certain amount of meetings, and a certain amount of calls in order to maintain my membership,” McGough said.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in firefighting, emergency medical services, or law enforcement, participating in the program as a volunteer can open up opportunities earlier and help you gain initial experience in similarly related jobs. According to McGough, this early experience has greatly benefited him. 

“I have a head start and I know this is the thing I wanna do.”

For those who might be interested, more information can be found at  https://www.cinnafire.org/education/volunteer/. They accept Junior Firefighters and Explorers between the ages of 14 and 18. As a Junior Firefighter you will receive in-house training to prepare you to attend formal recruit training.