Perryville Junior Firefighters Immediately Make a Difference

PERRYVILLE, MD — At the Community Fire Company of Perryville, young people eager to serve their community start making a difference at age 16 as junior firefighters – a pathway to full membership that the fire company wants to expand.

Christian Riale helped set up a landing zone for a medical evacuation helicopter on I-95.

Collin Ferrell helped stop chimney fire flames from spreading through a roof.

Connor Vetrone, who just joined this past spring, has already learned how to safely cut apart a vehicle to free an accident victim.

“Juniors are the future of this fire company, but make no mistake, their contributions are important and very much needed right now,” said Perryville Fire Chief Bradley Willis.

Juniors learn all the skills they need to earn certification and become full firefighters or EMTs, with whom they train. While they can’t enter burning buildings or provide every medical treatment, juniors quickly earn clearance to respond to emergencies and take on active and vital response roles. They can earn certification and are ready to become full fire company members at age 18.

From Curiosity to Commitment: Collin Ferrell

Collin Ferrell’s volunteer fire career started almost by accident. Last summer, when he was 17, he passed a community event at the park and Chief Willis handed him a sign-up form. He and Christian Riale are good friends and Christian encouraged him to sign up.

“I wanted to be a police officer at first,” Collin admits. “But then I realized I really wanted to go on fire calls and ambulance calls to help people in the community.”

Since joining, Collin has thrown himself into training. He was cleared on ambulances within two
months, and every fire truck within four. “The rescue truck is the hardest—it’s got the most tools on it,” he says. “But I know where almost everything is now.”

He’s already taken part in multiple live calls—pulling hose lines, breaking windows, and putting out brush fires. In one response to a Perryville chimney fire, Collin helped stop flames from spreading
through the roof by removing siding and spraying down hot spots from outside the building.

Collin passed the Firefighter I course in August and is also seeking HAZMAT, Emergency Vehicle
Operation, and EMT certifications, and has a goal to one day serve as a fire company officer.

A Lifetime Around the Firehouse: Christian Riale

Few know the firehouse as well as Christian Riale. “When I was little, we had cookouts here,” he recalls. “My dad would bring me, show me the trucks. I’ve been around it since I was born.”

He joined as a junior as soon as he was 16. Since then, Christian has participated in a variety of calls, including a cardiac arrest where he performed CPR—his first time in that situation.

“We found her not breathing,” he remembers. “I started compressions. It's really physical—you’ve got to push hard.”

He also assisted in a major vehicle crash near the Chesapeake House. A speeding car hit a wall, requiring helicopter evacuation. Christian helped set up the landing zone on I-95, blocked traffic with police, and shuttled rescue tools to the crew.

“The senior volunteers help train us, show us how to pull hose lines, use ladders,” said Christian, who is in the process of completing Firefighter I. “There’s always mentoring here. We help each other.”

A Lifelong Interest Comes Full Circle: Connor Vetrone

While just 16, Connor Vetrone has been planning his fire and EMS career for years. A rising junior at Perryville High School and a student in fire science and EMS at the Cecil County School of Technology, he wants both a volunteer and paid career in the fire service.

“I always wanted to be a firefighter,” he says. “I went to fire safety camps when I was a kid—we learned about fire prevention, used equipment, practiced with hoses.”

Since joining this past spring, he’s since taken part in hands-on training, including a recent session with spreaders and cutters – tools that help firefighters safely free an accident victim who is trapped in their vehicle. After the lessons were learned, the volunteers kept going. “We tried to cut (the car) in half,” he said. “Didn’t quite make it—but it was fun.”

Connor is looking forward to taking Firefighter I during his senior year at tech school. For now, he’s focused on learning the layout of every truck and where every tool and hose is stored.

A Call for More Junior Volunteers

The Perryville Fire Company seeks more 16- and 17-year-olds to join as junior firefighters.

“You don’t feel alone here,” Connor said. “Everyone helps you learn what you need to do.”

Christian agrees: “Come ride with us—help the community and save lives.”

Fill out a volunteer inquiry form or learn more at joinperryvillefire.org