Volunteer Fire Fighter Roll Call

[USAF Medic]

Any other volunteer firefighters (or vollies/blue light specials etc as some career FF's might call us) on the forum?

[ArmyMAJretired]

Former here, volunteered for 6 years, 1997-2003. I'm 50 now so hauling hose got harder.

Loved my time doing it, would recommend it to everyone.

[Buffalo]

Not a volunteer but our firm has designed new stations for 5 volunteer FDs in the past six years, so I like to think we help out a bit. You guys are an asset and really respect the time and effort you put in for your communities.

[Floydian]

Not a firefighter, but I am a member of my town's volly dept serving as a volunteer EMT. :dance:

[TinCan]

Did it for a little bit in my youth. Now, I just do the neighborly thing and help out if it's one of my close neighbors. Last year we had 4 brush fires get out of hand, unfortunately one of them mine. ;) We usually have at least one a year somewhere close to us that I feel obligated to attend. Being a retired sailor with a lot of fire-fighting training/experience, they keep me in mind but to legally be able to help out on their rigs I'd have to attend their training and I'm just getting a little too long in the tooth to effectively do that as a dedicated member of a team. Then again, we usually have things under control well before they show up anyway. :)

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

I might be interested in such. Do I need to have any skills prior to getting into it?

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

My cousin was a volunteer firefighter and a cardiac tech/paramedic on 2 different rural rescue squads.

Three years ago, he died from injuries in a car accident. He was only 28. Firefighters and squads from all over the area attended his funeral and at the burial formed a wide circle around the mourners. At the end of the service they turned on their radios, and we heard the tones go out for his departments and a final call in his name. Any of us who'd been holding up throughout that day just fell apart; I get choked up now just thinking about it.

[ArmyMAJretired]

I might be interested in such. Do I need to have any skills prior to getting into it?

Most volunteer departments train new members.

Our department was a combination department, half career and half volunteers.

Over 6 months we were certified NPQS Firefighter I (there was a hands on skills test administered by testers from the State training facility as well as a written test.)

Our training was usually one or 2 Saturdays a month (4 hour blocks) and a few weeknight classes.

I even got to go to the Emergency Vehicle Operator's Course (EVOC) which is great, high speed manuevers in Crown Vic, controlled braking, skid recovery etc.