Plaistow Junior Firefighters, 2026–2027 Season
Entry-level youth fire training built on the NH Fire Academy curriculum
Orientation
Sunday, August 30, 2026
1400 hrs at Plaistow Fire Department
27 Elm Street, Plaistow, NH 03865
Sundays during the school year, starting August 30, 2026. Session times and program details are covered at orientation. Both students and parents are expected to attend orientation on August 30th.
Plaistow Fire Department
27 Elm Street
Plaistow, NH 03865
High school students, minimum age 14. No prior fire experience required. Just show up ready to work and learn.
Free
The program costs nothing to participate in. All training materials and PPE for training sessions are provided.
The Plaistow Junior Firefighters is an entry-level youth fire training program. We are built on the New Hampshire Fire Academy (NHFA/NHFSTC) Firefighter I and II curriculum and aligned to NFPA 1001 standards. That means the material we teach is the real thing, organized the same way the state academy does it.
But we are not the fire academy, and this is not a certification course. Completing this program does not grant you a NH Firefighter I or II certification. What it does give you is a strong foundation, real hands-on experience, and a clear picture of whether a career in the fire service is the right path for you.
We use internal program ranks: Probationary Junior, Junior Firefighter, and junior officer positions. These ranks reflect your progress and standing in this program specifically. They are not state certifications, not academy credentials, and not transferable titles.
They matter here, and they mean something real here, but they are program ranks. We will always be straight with you about what they are and what they are not.
If your goal is to become a certified firefighter after graduation, we will help you understand exactly what that path looks like and how this program prepares you for it.
Chris took over the Plaistow Junior Firefighters in fall 2025 and rebuilt the program from the ground up. He is a NH Certified Firefighter and EMT, and holds Fire Instructor I, Fire Instructor II, and NH State Fire Instructor credentials.
The NH State Fire Instructor credential is what the state requires to instruct at the fire academy. Chris is not an academy instructor, but he holds that credential, which means the way he designs and delivers training meets that standard.
As part of earning that credential, he helped teach the Spring 2026 Lakes Region Community College recruit school. That experience gave him firsthand, up-close exposure to exactly where new firefighters struggle when they hit the academy. The drills and curriculum focus areas in this program are shaped directly by what he saw there.
Credentials
Every session is built around written objectives so you always know exactly what you are working toward before the session starts. No mystery about what matters or why.
We follow a structured four-step approach to every topic:
We design around making sure students feel they belong here before we pile on the challenge. Basic needs come first: eat before class, get your rest, and know that you are welcome here. That is not soft language, it is good instructional design. People learn better when they are not anxious about fitting in.
We front-load the most important material in every class and close every session with a solid recap. The first thing you learn in a session and the last thing you leave with are the things that stick. We plan accordingly.
This is not a homework program. Optional reading and study materials will be available for anyone who wants to get ahead, but nothing is required outside of class time. The one exception is ELO credit, which does require coursework. See the ELO section below for details.
The program covers all of the following topic areas over the course of the season. Topics are organized into logical blocks, but the order may shift based on weather, equipment availability, and guest instructor schedules. You will always know what is coming next.
After talking with NH Fire Academy instructors and a former PJFF junior who went through the recruit academy, we identified the specific areas where new firefighters most often struggle when they get there. We built recurring drills into the season to target those exact skills directly.
These are not one-and-done topics. We come back to them repeatedly so the skills are automatic when they count:
The rank system is new for the 2026-2027 season. It is designed to be fair, motivating, and honest about what ranks mean and require.
All new students begin here. This is where you get oriented, start building skills, and figure out how the program works. No prior experience needed. Show up, be present, and start learning.
To advance, you need to demonstrate proficiency in a set of core skills evaluated to the NH Fire Academy skill-sheet standard, meet the attendance requirements for advancement, and maintain good standing under the code of conduct.
Your progress sheet will spell out exactly what is required. Nothing is hidden.
Officer positions are limited and competitive. Candidates apply through a process that includes a written application and an oral board. Instructors evaluate demonstrated leadership, consistency, and a genuine commitment to mentoring newer students.
Officer roles open as they become available, not on a fixed schedule.
If you were with us last season, you keep the rank you earned. Returning officers keep their roles. We do not make people re-earn what they already demonstrated.
There is a fair, non-punitive process if someone falls below the standard of their rank. The goal is always to help you get back on track, not to make an example of anyone. If a step-down becomes necessary, it is handled directly, privately, and with the opportunity to advance again.
Regular attendance matters in this program because hands-on skills build on each other. A session you miss is a drill your crew ran without you. We understand that life happens, and we try to be reasonable about it. Here is how it works.
| Who | Attendance Standard |
|---|---|
| All students | Let an instructor know in advance if you need to miss a session. An excused absence is one you communicated ahead of time or one with a legitimate reason (school obligation, illness, family emergency). More than two unexcused absences will affect your progress in the program. |
| Students working toward Junior Firefighter rank | A stricter attendance standard applies. Specific requirements are outlined on your individual progress sheet. |
| ELO students | ELO credit requires meeting a minimum attendance threshold. Your ELO plan will specify the standard clearly. |
| Junior Officers | Officers are expected to be present and reliable. Repeated unexcused absences trigger a rank review. |
If attendance becomes a concern, we talk to you first. We work with you to find a path forward. The conversation happens before any formal consequence.
We are a team, and firehouses take care of each other. That means every student, instructor, and guest is treated with respect, period. We do not tolerate bullying, harassment, or behavior that makes someone feel unsafe or unwelcome.
Speak up if something is not right. Ask questions. Push back if something does not make sense. That is all part of being on this crew.
Specific expectations:
We try hard not to punish people before we understand what is going on. The process is:
Students take on Sunday chores around the station because that is what firefighters do. Sweeping, mopping, cleaning rigs, checking gear. If you are on the crew, you take care of the house.
About once a month we cook and eat dinner together as a team. You will learn your way around a firehouse kitchen and leave knowing the people on your crew as actual people, not just training partners.
Community service and team building are woven into the year, not treated as extras or optional add-ons. This is part of what it means to be a firefighter in your town.
You will leave this program having trained hard, but also having built real relationships with the people on your crew.
Students enrolled at Timberlane Regional High School can earn Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) school credit for their participation in this program. ELO is a school-recognized pathway that treats real-world learning experiences as equivalent to classroom instruction.
ELO does require coursework outside of class and a minimum attendance standard. We work with you, your parents, and the school to make the process clear and manageable from the start.
If you are interested in earning ELO credit, ask about it at orientation on August 30th, or reach out before the season starts. Contact us at c.nesbitt@plaistow-junior-firefighters.org or by phone at (603) 362-8507.
| Name | Role | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr. | Program Coordinator, Board Chair, and Lead Instructor | NH Certified Firefighter/EMT, Fire Instructor I, Fire Instructor II, NH State Fire Instructor |
| Doug Thompson | Treasurer | CPA, Community Member |
| Daniel Ricker | Secretary and Instructor | Retired Firefighter |
| David Florin | Board Member and Instructor | NH Certified Firefighter Paramedic |
| Robert Tuttle | Board Member and Instructor | NH Certified Firefighter/EMT, State Fire Instructor Level 2, NH Fire Academy Instructor |
Phone
Location
Plaistow Fire Department
27 Elm Street, Plaistow, NH 03865
This syllabus outlines the structure, expectations, curriculum, and policies for the 2026-2027 Plaistow Junior Firefighters program season. It is intended to give students and parents a clear picture of how the program operates, what will be covered, and what is expected of participants.
Details covered at orientation on August 30th will supplement this document. Students and parents are both expected to attend orientation.
Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr.
Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor
Plaistow Junior Firefighters
2026-2027 Program Year