By Brandi Makuski

After being dormant for about 15 years, the Explorer program has spent the last three years making a big return to the Stevens Point Area — and expanding into different industries.

First devised by the Boy Scouts of America — but open to boys and girls through its Learning for Life program — Explorer posts give young people hands-on experience in real-world careers, and with one-on-one mentorship.

“It’s not really like any other program out there,” said Dean Bushey, a district executive from the Boy Scouts’ Mushkodany District who oversees the program locally. “If there’s anything that can give young people a real taste of what a certain career is like, before they decide to go to college or tech school, it’s this.”

Male and female Explorer cadets learn to open and close a fire hydrant during a drill in July, 2015. (City Times photo)

The Stevens Point Fire Dept. was the first to revive the program locally, kicking off its post in late 2014. Firefighter Shane Westphal said the program has been a hit.

“We continually have between 16 and 18 members,” Westphal said. “Right now we’re at 16 and they seem to be thoroughly enjoying it.”

The group, Westphal said, is trained much like a regular firefighter, learning how to operate a fire hydrant, safely climb ladders, fire science and first aid.

“Some people who took part in the post are already EMT Basics; one is in fire school and another is going to begin fire school shortly,” he added, “so that’s kind of cool, to see how it’s evolved and how it’s become a stepping stone for people.”

But Westphal and other firefighters know not everybody who participates is going to be interested in the firefighting/EMT field — and that’s kind of the point of the program.

“We’ve had people who were apart of it, really enjoyed it, but realized EMS or fire service isn’t what they want to do full-time, so they chose a different path,” he said. “But they’ve still said the post has benefited them with leadership skills and things like that.”

Explorers prepare to secure a litter at the bottom of a hill during slope training in 2016. (City Times photo)

Plover Police Office Jennifer Graham said leadership skills are also a big takeaway for Explorers at the Plover Police Department, but it’s just a side effect of the process.

Graham, along with Officer Seth Pionke, oversee the group of quasi-officers who meet at the Tac House near the village’s business park. There, the group participates in a mix of classroom education and hands-on training, which includes learning how to initiate a traffic stop and defense and arrest tactics.

“We don’t make you run around the building 100 times or anything grueling, but we do teach you what we learn,” Graham told the group as they met in early June. “We start basic, with radio procedures and police communications, and we progress from there.”

Students also learn how to fire guns safely. Following a required firearms safety course, the group will spend a day on the law enforcement shooting range in Dewey.

The PFD announced its Explorer Post in last 2015, and much like SPFD, they incorporate a heavy dose of community service into the program. Explorer cadets volunteer their time at local events like the Mark Motors Safety Fair, Guns N’ Hoses and Celebrate Plover.

Each post has different requirements. Plover PD Explorers are required to maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Cadets in the SPFD Explorer Post must regularly attend each meeting. Both posts require uniforms, with are provided.

Explorers check out what’s under the hood during a meeting of the AutoSense post. (Contributed)

Cadets at an automotive-theme post held at AutoSense in Plover wear t-shirts and safety glasses, also provided by the post leader, AutoSense owner Clark Collins.

“It’s just a good way to provide a solid foundation for young men and women about cars,” Collins said of the post. “We’re open to every skill level because we want everyone to learn.”

Collins, who launched the post in April, said he plans to have the group rebuild a vehicle on his lot, which will provide an education most won’t get anywhere else.

“Think about it; just about everybody drives, right? This way they’ll have a working knowledge of how to fix problems on whatever vehicle they’re driving, even if they don’t remember every detail,” he added.

Another post, this one construction-related, it scheduled to kick off in the fall at Ellis Construction.

Bushey said posts are open to young men and women ages 14-21 and most have an annual cost of about $25.

For more information, or to apply, contact any of the local Explorer posts, or contact Bushey at (715) 409-6637 or [email protected].

Stevens Point Fire Dept.
1701 Franklin St.
(715) 344-1833

Plover Police Dept.
2420 Post Rd., Plover
(715) 345-5255

AutoSense
1745 Park Ave., Plover
(715) 544-1571

Ellis Construction
3201 Stanley St.
(715) 345-5000