TRENTON — The New Jersey Senate has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris, Passaic) and Senator Anthony M. Bucco (R-Morris, Passaic) aimed at addressing the state’s firefighter shortage by allowing high school students to earn health, safety, and physical education credits through completion of a county fire academy course.
To be eligible, a student must:
- Be between the ages of 16 and 18
- Complete an examination to become a junior firefighter, or equivalent
- Commit to volunteering at their local fire department for two years
“New Jersey communities depend on firefighters to keep families safe, but departments across the state are struggling to recruit the next generation of firefighters,” said Sen. Pennacchio. “By allowing junior firefighters to receive health, safety, and physical education credits, we are promoting valuable educational opportunities for students outside the classroom while strengthening the pipeline of future first responders.”
“Encouraging young people to become junior firefighters not only helps address the first responder shortage, it also provides a hands-on learning experience that builds leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to community service,” said Sen. Bucco. “This bill takes a creative approach to recruitment by recognizing the real-world training and physical demands of firefighting as part of a student’s education.”
The full text of the bill, S-1343, is available by clicking here.
