Serve Your Community

If you're interested in serving your community, we have an opportunity for you. Our members come from all walks of life, but all of them possess the same passion, the desire to help others. In the volunteer fire service there is no pay, just a kinship amongst members and the satisfaction of making a difference because its simply the right thing to do.

A little known fact to most people is that the majority of the nation's fire service is served by volunteers. Unfortunately dedicated volunteers are hard to find. We're happy that you're interested in helping.

WHAT IS REQUIRED?

New members are required to pull 12 hours of duty per month, attend training regularly and respond to emergency calls whenever possible. All new members are accepted on a 6 month probationary period.

WOULD YOU BE ELIGIBLE?

• Applicants must live in our service area, or in a neighboring fire district. Active members from another volunteer fire department WILL NOT be accepted.

• Applicants must be 14 years of age for our Cadet (Junior) Program and 18 years of age for regular membership. Cadets must have written consent from their legal guardian.

• Applicants will be interviewed and voted on by the screening committee and voted in for full membership at the end of their probationary period.

• Applicants must pass a background check to be eligible for membership. Felony offenders WILL NOT be accepted. Drug screenings are done at random.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

CAN ANYONE BE A VOLUNTEER?
Typically, if someone is willing to volunteer their time, there is a job for them.

DO VOLUNTEERS GET PAID?
Not in a traditional sense, but in a residual way, absolutely. No one ever forgets the first call they run or the first time they helped someone in need. Volunteering in an emergency service is a rewarding experience like no other. Immediately you become part of a family of millions nationwide who are driven to help others in their time of need. Plus, if you think this may be a career choice for you there is no better way to find out.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROFESSIONAL AND VOLUNTEER?
Professionalism is a manner in which a person acts. Volunteers represent their agency in a professional manner every day. Some may differentiate between the two as professional versus volunteer, but that is not true. The value of service and the inherent risks are no more or less if you’re paid or not. It is more like paid versus volunteer.

HOW DO I KNOW WHICH VOLUNTEER AGENCY SERVES ME?
Each volunteer emergency service has a territory which it serves, even inside City limits. Typically it is a good idea to volunteer in the one closest to you. We accept members from residents of our service area and adjoining districts.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET HURT?
Volunteer emergency services carry insurance to cover members in the event of an injury.

HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE?
More time is involved in the beginning as new members learn the ropes, but there will be a minimum requirement to maintain membership.

HOW WILL I GET THE TRAINING I NEED?
All of the emergency services do regular in-house training and will provide you the training you’ll need.

DO I HAVE TO BUY MY OWN EQUIPMENT?
Not all of the agencies require you to wear a uniform, but for those that do, uniforms are usually provided. Other equipment such as protective gear (coat, pants, helmet), pager, etc. will be provided for you.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN THERE IS AN EMERGENCY?
Volunteers are issued pagers that are set off by the County’s 911 Center when there is an emergency.

IS IT LIKE IT APPEARS ON TV SHOWS AND MOVIES?
Kind of, maybe, sometimes. The situations that make for great suspense and drama fortunately are not common. This is to not undercut the inherent risk of all calls. A wrecked car exploding is less likely on an automobile accident than a distracted driver hitting emergency personnel. Unfortunately, shows rarely showcase all of the agencies that it takes to collectively “work a scene.”

The agencies who respond spend lots of time training their members and readying their equipment for when they’re needed. Some of this hands-on, but lots of it is classroom work and doesn’t make for great television.

IS A VOLUNTEER'S CAR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE?
While it isn’t unusual for a volunteer to respond in their personal vehicle, it is not considered an emergency vehicle and all rules of the road still apply.

HOW WOULD VOLUNTEERING AFFECT MY WORK?
Your family and your work should come before your volunteer responsibilities. Volunteer agencies are realistic about this and will make every effort to work with you. First off, speak to your family about this commitment. Their support this is very important. Also, you may want to talk to your employer about volunteering so you’re familiar with their policy.  Some businesses make special considerations.

WOULD VOLUNTEERING HELP ME GET HIRED BY A PAID DEPARTMENT?
Of course. There is certainly no better place to learn the ropes about EMS or firefighting than in a volunteer emergency service. As with any job, the person who can hit the ground running is a more attractive candidate than the person who can’t.

HOW DANGEROUS IS IT?
Due to the nature of the job there is an inherent risk, yet with proper training the risks can be minimized. Statistically, the biggest threat to emergency service workers is heart disease, followed by motor vehicle accidents.

CAN I BE A MEMBER OF A RESCUE SQUAD AND FIRE DEPARTMENT?
If you are new to this field, it is recommended you join and complete training at one agency then see if you have time for both.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about Volunteer Emergency Services not addressed here, feel free to contact us.