The Westhampton Beach Fire Department Juniors program was founded in March of 2004. Currently the membership has 30 juniors ages 12-18. They meet twice a month on Wednesdays, followed by training. The training program is geared to follow the Firefighter 1 program taught by the Suffolk County Fire Academy and educational courses in Fire Engineering.
The goal of the Junior Program is not only to teach firematics and community service but to also teach about volunteerism, teamwork, leadership, life skills and fire department tradition.
The Juniors have frequent fund raisers for Stony Brook Burn Center and for the Volunteer Fireman’s Cancer Support Group. completed over 1,100 hours of meetings, trainings, and community service last year. These dedicated Juniors have committed themselves to giving back to the community while raising awareness of the importance of the fire service. They serve as an inspiration for youth programs across the country.
In 2010 the Westhampton Beach Junior Program was recognized by the National Volunteer Firefighters Council for having the number one program in the nation. They have also been nominated again for this award in 2011.