A successful, regional program to attract and train teenagers in firefighting and emergency medical services is returning for a second year.

“It’s hard to be a volunteer these days and we are always looking for solutions on staffing and to get some EMS people in our station,” said Nick Dinges, assistant fire chief of the Sublette Fire Department.

Sublette’s officers, led by fire chief Kevin Schultz and Dinges, along with the fire board, developed the idea of a cadet training program for young people ages 15 to 19.

The first program, started in January 2025, ran for 10 consecutive Sundays and participants received 45 hours of training. Dinges is pleased with the success of that first-year program.

“Out of the 18 people who started, 16 finished and we were really excited about that,” Dinges said.

The second cadet training program will start Jan. 18 at the Sublette Fire Department.

So far, the program has 23 people enrolled, 10 who were in the class last year and want to repeat it and 13 new participants. With rural fire departments and ambulance services facing a drought of volunteers, and with older members aging out of the service and retiring, the firefighting, rescue and EMS services that residents rely on have been dealing with staffing shortages for years.

“We have so many members who have put in so many years and are starting to age out that we knew we needed new blood,” Dinges said.

Dinges said teens have enrolled from Sublette and Amboy, Mendota, Franklin Grove and Wyanet.

The training consists of mostly hands-on learning and cadets will travel to different departments throughout the training.

“I am not one for sitting for hours in a classroom listening to someone talk, so we will be up and moving,” Dinges said.

Dinges said one of the inspirations for the course, and the age ranges for it, came from his family.

“My son Jake was 16 last year and he was interested. Our officer team talked about how do we get these young people active and engaged. If we are not grabbing them early, they will get jobs elsewhere, interests elsewhere. So we have to get them excited now and we have to get them wanting to volunteer now,” Dinges said.

Jake took the cadet class and joined the department, following not only in his father’s footsteps but also of his uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather. Dinges said he is impressed by the continuing enthusiasm of the first cadet class.

“Ezra Parker made a ton of calls, Tyler Huggins made a ton, Quinn Leffelman made a bunch. It’s just great to see these young people keep showing up,” Dinges said.

Cadet program graduates under the age of 18 who join the department do so as restricted members.

“That means they can do all the things the regular members can do within reason and under supervision. They can’t go into fires on an interior structural attack. We are not going to have them climb ladders and cut holes in roofs and things but the younger ones, they can pull hose lines for us, they can operate hose lines from the outside, they can help with extrication, all as long as they are supervised,” Dinges said.

One of the biggest benefits of having the infusion of youth comes on the EMS side.

“On the ambulance, they are helping us lift patients. One of the toughest struggles right now, with EMS calls up significantly, is patients are getting heavier. When we go into homes, we are lifting patients out of bed, we are lifting them off the floor. I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years. I’m not getting any younger. I have a bad back. If we can get these young people to help out, get the patient loaded onto the cot, get them into the ambulance, that is a huge, huge boost for all of us,” Dinges said.

The new cadets and the interest in the cadet training program have been a morale boost, too.

“The other part that has been neat to see is some of the older members more excited now because these younger people are showing up and showing interest. The younger people are helping with the lifts, which takes some of the pressure and stress off of the older members,” Dinges said.

A benefit for the cadets who take the training is that the training can open a potential career path. Some of the cadet graduates went on to take EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) training to become certified EMTs and Dinges said more have signed up to take EMT training in March in Amboy.

Spaces still are available for the cadet training class at the Sublette Fire Department. For more information about the program, contact Nick Dinges at 815-849-5512.