Plaistow Junior Firefighters
Real fire training for high school students. Free. Sundays at Plaistow Fire Department.
If you're 14 or older and want to learn what firefighting actually looks like, from gear and SCBA to hose lines, search and rescue, and fire behavior, this is the program. Taught by certified firefighters. No cost to join.
How We Train
Every Sunday we split the session between classroom learning and hands-on skills
Classroom
We cover concepts, answer questions, and go through the material together. Guest instructors, certified firefighters from Plaistow and around the region, lead many of these sessions. You don't need to pre-read anything.
Practical Skills
Hands-on in the apparatus bays. You'll work with real gear, practice real evolutions, and build skills that mirror what firefighters actually do on the job. This is the bulk of what we do.
What You'll Learn
Eight training blocks covering the full scope of firefighter fundamentals
Orientation & Safety
Fire service orientation, firefighter health and wellness, cancer awareness, and the safety principles that apply to every other thing we do.
PPE, SCBA & Communications
Donning and doffing full gear, breathing air in a SCBA, radio communications, and the first aid and CPR skills every firefighter carries.
Fire Science & Buildings
How fire behaves, how buildings are constructed, how utilities work, and why those things matter when you're operating inside a structure.
Tools & Technical Skills
Ropes and knots, forcible entry, ground ladders, ventilation, and portable extinguishers. Practical skills you practice until they're automatic.
Search, Rescue & Survival
Primary and secondary search techniques, victim removal, and firefighter survival, including MAYDAY procedures and self-rescue.
Hose, Water & Fire Attack
Water supply, hose loads and deploys, fire attack tactics, salvage and overhaul, and firefighter rehab. This is the core of suppression operations.
Specialized Topics
HazMat awareness and operations, forestry and wildland basics, traffic incident management, and air monitoring fundamentals.
Leadership & Program
Leadership skills, teamwork, community service, and program capstone activities. Returning students take on mentoring and leadership roles.
Schedule is built each year based on student progression. Topics may span multiple Sundays as needed.
View Full CurriculumStandards & Alignment
Our training is built on nationally recognized fire service standards
NFPA 1001
Firefighter Professional Qualifications
Our curriculum is aligned to NFPA 1001 (2019 Edition) Firefighter I Job Performance Requirements, the same standard used for state certification in New Hampshire.
NVFC
National Volunteer Fire Council
Training addresses NVFC Junior Firefighter core competencies: leadership, teamwork, responsibility, community service, work ethic, and technical skill development.
NHFSTC
NH Fire Standards & Training Commission
We follow the NHFSTC Firefighter I curriculum framework, the same program used statewide for ProBoard-accredited certification.
Program Leadership & Instruction
Program Leadership
Chris Nesbitt, Board Chairman, Program Coordinator & Lead Instructor
- NH Certified Firefighter
- NH Certified EMT
- Fire Instructor I
- Fire Instructor II
- NH State Fire Instructor
- Part-time at Plaistow Fire Department
- Helped teach the Spring 2026 LRCC recruit school as part of earning his NH State Fire Instructor credential
- 5-member Board of Directors providing governance and oversight
Guest Instructors
Certified firefighters and fire service professionals who volunteer their expertise. Our guest instructors bring real operational experience into the training bay:
- Career firefighters with operational experience
- NH Fire Academy certified instructors
- EMTs and paramedics for medical training
- Dispatchers for communications training
- Volunteer firefighters from the regional fire service
Our Training Portal
Custom-built online platform supporting every aspect of the program
Self-Serve Instructor & Volunteer Portal
Volunteering to teach or assist is as easy as logging in. Create an account as a State Instructor or Advisor, browse the full training schedule, see which sessions already have coverage, and sign up for the ones you want. No phone calls, no paperwork.
Whether you can commit to one session or an entire phase, the portal puts you in control of when and what you teach.
How It Works
Create Account
State Instructor or Advisor
View Schedule
Browse upcoming sessions and topics
See Who's On
Check which sessions need coverage
Pick & Sign Up
Choose sessions to teach or assist
Role-Based Dashboards
Students, parents, instructors, officers
Schedule Management
Drag-and-drop session planning
Assignment Tracking
Grading and progress
Attendance
Parents see student progress
Announcements
Discussion boards
Our Partnerships
Plaistow Fire Department
Hosts our program and provides facilities, apparatus, and equipment for all training sessions. Our students train in the same station and on the same equipment used by active firefighters.
Timberlane Regional High School
ELO (Extended Learning Opportunity) credits toward graduation. With classroom and practical training combined, students can meet the 150-hour threshold for a full credit. Contact: Danielle Foley, Asst. Principal of Alternative Ed Pathways.
Guest Instructors
Certified firefighters and fire service professionals from around the region who volunteer their expertise. Our students learn from people actively working in the field.
Support Our Program
Help us train tomorrow's firefighters through instruction and community support
Become an Instructor
Create an account on our training portal as a State Instructor or Advisor. View the upcoming schedule, see who's already signed up, and pick the sessions you want to teach or assist with. All self-serve.
Volunteer to TeachSupport Through Donation
Help us purchase training equipment, fund field trips, and provide resources for our students. Every contribution makes a difference.
Make a DonationBecome a Sponsor
Partner with us as a corporate sponsor to support youth development and fire safety education in our community.
Sponsorship OpportunitiesQuestions about our program? Contact us today