Hudson VFD recruiting teens for firefighting training program

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - The Hudson Volunteer Fire Department is recruiting 14 to 17 year olds for a program that teaches firefighting, emergency medical services and rescue.

“Volunteerism has declined over the years,” said Chief Burns. “Every department in this county needs volunteers. And this is just one way for us to bring in the youth, train them, and make them a member for the future.”

The department’s explorer program was created around 15 years ago by members of the department to bring youth into the department and train them to be volunteer firefighters. “The program itself is built around our standard operating procedures and the way our department functions. So the program is being broken into modules,” Burns said.

Each module lasts about four to five months and cover everything from fire prevention to vehicle rescues. Depending on attendance, test scores, and make-up training, the process to move from explorer to firefighter generally takes about three to four years.

“The volunteer fire service loses members based on age and based on the employment in the area,” Burns said. “At this time, many of the volunteer fire departments, the area that members are aging out, they’re getting to an age where they can they can’t function. We need the youth to come in and fill those roles so that these communities can maintain a viable and professional volunteer fire department.”

The application period starts Jan. 1 and will run through April 2026. The group meets Monday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Fire Station 1 on Ted Trout Drive in Lufkin.

Teens in Angelina County who are interested can reach out through the department’s Facebook page or drop by a Monday meeting.

Copyright 2025 KTRE. All rights reserved.