There are many different ways to volunteer for the fire department. Some involve administrative duties such as data entry, contacting district residents or stocking stations with consumable supplies. Others may be more hands on such as assisting with truck maintenance. Or you may have specific skills you wish to share such as public relations or marketing. All of these types of tasks require reliable individuals, involve minimal training and the time commitment varies. In addition, we have an active Fire Department Auxiliary who support fundraising and various non-emergency firefighter support activities, such as providing treats at monthly station work sessions.
There's also the emergency response volunteer. This requires a more dedicated individual since the time commitment (both yours and ours) is greater. Whether you want to drive a truck or enter a burning building, emergency response volunteers need to go through our rookie program. The intent is to teach basic skills and equipment familiarization, learn about the department, allow the department to learn about you and above all, provide for your safety and the safety of others. The expectation is to attend at least one to two regular trainings per month in addition to one rookie class per month. There is some self-study work to be completed also. This program can take up to a year, part of which will be spent responding to calls. <See rookie taskbook link>
After completing the rookie program, as an emergency response volunteer, you will be expected to attend a pre-defined number of trainings, provide support for the maintenance of the stations, trucks and equipment, and respond to calls. The exact level of involvement is up to you, within the limits set in our Standard Operating Policies.
Finally, there's the Board of Directors. There are seven directors, each representing different wards (defined areas of the district). They serve four year terms, on a staggered basis. Elections are held in May during odd numbered years. At times, a director cannot fulfill his or her term, then someone will be appointed as their replacement. It's always nice to have a list of interested people.
Let us know if any of these are of interest to you. Or if you have a specific desire to perform some type of volunteer service, let us know that too and we'll see what we can work out.
