What are the requirements for minors under the age of eighteen to participate in volunteer fire fighting?
The general rule is that teenagers under the age of eighteen years of age may not work in an occupation that has been declared hazardous by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry has declared fire fighting to be a hazardous occupation. ( http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+16VAC15-30-190) In addition to the occupations that have been declared hazardous, child labor laws specifically prohibit teenagers under the age of eighteen from many other activities that may be involved in fire fighting. However, under Virginia Code § 40.1-79.1, (http://leg1.state. va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+40.1-79.1) minors who have attained the age of sixteen may participate fully in all activities of a volunteer fire company, if the minor has obtained Level One firefighter certification, the minor has his or her parent or guardian’s permission and there is a town, city or county ordinance in place (in the jurisdiction of residence of the minor) perm
