Milwaukee Fire Cadet Program: Family calls for change, FPC stands by it

MILWAUKEE – At 19 years previous, he thought he had his future all sorted out. A Menomonee Falls man utilized and gained acceptance into the Milwaukee Fireplace Division’s cadet program. This system is a pipeline to employment throughout the division. However two days earlier than the beginning of coaching, he misplaced his spot — and now, the household tells FOX6 Information this system ought to change.

Persevering with a legacy

Nathan Lang began courses on the College of Wisconsin-Whitewater, however realized he wanted one thing extra hands-on.

“I simply felt prefer it was time for a change and I wanted to go reap the benefits of one thing that has simply been behind my head my complete life, to struggle fires,” Lang stated.

So, the nephew and grandson of Milwaukee firefighters took steps to observe of their footsteps. He utilized to the MFD’s cadet program in early 2022. 

Lang stated he spent hours within the gymnasium getting ready for the bodily health parts of the applying course of. Nonetheless, he centered much more time on the written examination and in-person interview, in order that he may earn a spot in this system. And he did, receiving phrase of his conditional provide on July 20.

“You be ok with your self understanding that you just set out, you had a purpose, and also you achieved that purpose,” Lang stated.

Pre-employment course of 

There have been simply 4 steps stood between Lang and that spot: a psychological analysis, a medical examination, a drug take a look at, and a background verify.

The Milwaukee Fireplace & Police Fee, which handles the applying course of, emailed Lang the directions. The e-mail stated the appointments should be scheduled by July 29 and accomplished earlier than the Aug. 22 begin date. The e-mail provides that any candidate could possibly be disqualified in the event that they fail to seem for his or her appointments.

“It could be superior to see your son stroll throughout that stage throughout commencement and obtain his badge, you understand,” stated Scott Lang, Nathan’s father. “It could be phenomenal.”

Scott stated every thing appeared good to go, till Nathan known as him simply two days earlier than the beginning of coaching.

“And [he] stated, ‘Dad, I simply obtained an e-mail that I am out.’ And my preliminary response was, what,” Scott stated.

On Monday, Aug. 15, the third-party firm liable for the psychological analysis emailed Nathan after his appointment. They wanted his major care supplier to signal an extra type to clarify his prescription for Fluoxetine. Nathan stated he took it to his physician’s workplace on Wednesday, Aug. 17, and advised them he wanted it achieved by Friday.

“They stated, ‘Okay, we’ll get it taken care of. Thanks. Have a pleasant day,’” Nathan stated.

However the type by no means made it to the Fireplace and Police Fee, as a result of his physician was out of the workplace that week. As an alternative, his physician submitted the shape with a letter, asking the fee to contemplate the holiday when assessing his delayed paperwork. Nonetheless, Nathan’s spot was gone.

“It simply leaves a gap in your coronary heart,” Nathan stated.

Flawed hiring course of?

The Langs inform FOX6 Information they assume the hiring course of is flawed. They take concern with the truth that candidates are allowed to schedule evaluations so late within the course of, once they discovered the corporate can take as much as three to 5 days to return outcomes.

FOX6 Information introduced the household’s questions downtown to the fee. Leon Todd is the chief director of the Milwaukee Fireplace & Police Fee.

“I perceive that this can be a rigorous course of,” Todd stated.

Leon Todd, government director of the Milwaukee Fireplace & Police Fee

The fee first shaped the cadet program within the Nineteen Nineties — then retooling it in 2012 to recruit extra firefighters straight out of Milwaukee Public Faculties.

“It is a labor pool and a pipeline that refreshes yearly, and it was a method for us to additionally affect, in a really optimistic method, our variety contained in the Milwaukee Fireplace Division,” stated Milwaukee Fireplace Chief Aaron Lipski.

The cadet program is about up as a two-year apprenticeship-style program for folks between the ages of 17 and 19. Town pays the cadets round $33,000 a 12 months to study every thing they should be a top quality firefighter.

Milwaukee Fireplace Cadet Program

Chief Lipski stated the advantages do not cease there.

“It is so multiversal, they’re actually popping out with method, far more than I had solely coming by way of a 16-week academy. And I had a heck of plenty of coaching,” Lipski stated.

Milwaukee Fireplace Chief Aaron Lipski

That’s a part of the explanation why Todd stated the deadlines and pre-employment necessities are vital.

“Now we have to ensure that all of the candidates are certified and match for this job, and we do should be truthful to different candidates within the course of who do observe the principles,” Todd stated.

Todd wouldn’t touch upon a particular candidate, however he did inform FOX6 Information the method is designed to be truthful. He stated the fee communicates deadlines with candidates by way of emails and through textual content messages, although FOX6 Information discovered no warnings in regards to the potential for follow-up on sure appointments.

Milwaukee Fireplace Cadet Program

“If candidates well timed schedule their psychological evaluations, although, medical holds are very a lot the exception, not the rule,” Todd stated.

“Do you perceive the frustration of the place they’re coming from,” FOX6’s Sam Kraemer requested.

“Effectively once more, I am not going to remark about any particular person candidate’s case. I can say we offer clear discover and talk with all of the candidates. They’re knowledgeable a suggestion is conditional, and it is conditioned on finishing all of the steps within the course of,” Todd stated.

The fee encourages candidates who don’t make the lower to use once more subsequent 12 months. However Nathan, now 20, aged out of this system.

“I dropped out of school. I stop my part-time job,” Nathan stated.

Nathan nonetheless hopes to discover a method in and proceed his household’s legacy nevertheless he can, which may embody making use of to the division’s commonplace software and academy. 

It is not simply Lang on the skin trying in. A FOX6 Information open information request discovered seven canceled appointments for final 12 months’s cadet program class. It isn’t clear why the opposite appointments have been canceled.