Third-generation firefighter joins MVFD Explore program

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Kaytlin Keilig is the third generation of her family to be a part of a fire department.

“I got into it because of my dad. He’s been a volunteer as long as I can remember, and my grandfather was a paid firefighter in Hastings,” Keilig said.

The 18-year-old from Milford is one of three students who are part of the Milford Volunteer Fire Department’s Explore program.

“They get to do just about everything the rest of us do with a few exceptions,” Tim Stewart, a 10-year member of MVFD said.

Stewart started the Explore program after he went through a similar program in north Idaho, where he grew up.

“That’s how I got my start at 14. I decided Milford needed one, too,” he said.

Stewart also spent time on a department in Texas before moving to Milford.

He went through extensive training in connection with the Scouts USA program in order to be certified to begin the Explore proram.

In its inaugural year, the Explore program had seven participants.

Some of them graduated and moved elsewhere, and some of them decided fire and rescue work wasn’t for them, Stewart said.

The youth members have a few restrictions for insurance reasons, Stewart said.

They aren’t allowed to go into burning buildings in a real fire situation.

They can’t drive the trucks or operate the aerial components on the ladder truck.

They must be age 21 and official members of the MVFD roster before those restrictions are lifted.

Otherwise, they’re just like the rest of the department.

“We get to train right along with the rest of them,” Keilig said. “We need to be supervised so we don’t screw anything up,” Keilig said.

The Explore program is open to youth ages 14 to 21, with the hope that they’ll join the department as a full-fledged member at 21.

“We give them a full set of bunker gear,” Stewart said, and the Explore members receive pages for calls on their phones.

As of July 14, Keilig was still awaiting her first official fire or rescue call after completing all necessary training.

“They’re here twice a month with us, doing the same training we have,” Stewart said.

“Our first meeting, we ended up extricating a car. We did a house burn in June last year in Seward for training,” Keilig said.

Students can earn scholarships for participating in the program, but Keilig said for her, it’s more about the experiences she’s gained.

“It gives me life skills, especially on the medical side. We have to be CPR certified to even go on the call,” she said. “It’s given me self-confidence and the chance to know I can actually do something, even if I’m not affiliated with a department.”

Keilig said she isn’t sure of her post-high school plans yet, but she hopes to pursue a career in fire investigation, smoke jumping or as an EMT/paramedic.

“Any of this training can go along with any part of life,” Keilig said. “You need to know how to put out a fire or make a tourniquet if you don’t have one around.”

The Explore program is open to anyone age 14-21 who lives in Milford.

“If they have an interest in anything from firefighting to being a nurse,” Stewart said, give him a call at (402) 840-2009.