Where to start

[Countryboy2004]

I am 18 and I live in Greeley CO. I have been wanting to get into volunteer work, but I am not sure where to start. Any advice would be alot of help. Thanks

[tunkleahterhead]

The best advice I can give you is to contact your local Fire Dept if they are volunteer and find out their membership requirements. Go from there if you are interested in the EMS end and they are separate from the FD contact them also it never hurts to ask. Let us know how you make out and good luck

[mtnfireguy]

Greeley has many volunteer departments in the area. Check with them. Also, Aims Community College has many fire service programs that will help you if you are looking toward a career in the fire service.

http://eatonfire.org

http://www.cityofevans.org/department.cfm?depID=6

http://www.windsor-severancefire.org

[MidnightHero]

Another newbie

Hey everyone, sort of an introduction here. I'm about to start volunteering for the Hyattsville VFD in MD. Pretty excited about starting out because I havent done anything like this before, anyone have advice on starting out? Thanks

Andre

[mcaldwell]

Re: Another newbie

Originally posted by MidnightHero
...anyone have advice on starting out?

First of all, congratulations.

Second, my best advice is this:

-Pay attention, be patient, become a sponge for information, your life or someone else's may very well depend on it someday.

-If you have questions, ask. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

-If someone asks you to do something you aren't comfortable with, tell them. This happens from time to time, and when you're being told to take gear up a 50 foot ladder to an attic fire, it's no time to try to overcome your fear of heights.

Good Luck, take it seriously, and Have Fun!

Whether this is a career path, or just a side job, you are still a FIREFIGHTER to those in need.

[Thehangedfrog]

Re: Re: Another newbie

Originally posted by mcaldwell



-If you have questions, ask. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

Ahh, you have not to deal with some of the questions I have... There really are some stupid questions. But mostly you are right.

Also some other advice..

Dont take the joking and kidding and practical jokes personally, if they do it to you, then they have done it to everyone else in the department..

Try not to date in the department.. If there is a break up then it gets real sticky if bad feelings exist. And if you dont chose your "partners" side on an issure, it could lead to a breakup..

If you dont know how to do something, when they ask you to do it, dont bluff during an emergency (seen it happen).

Dont fall into the trap of What-If.. continuing a conversation with what-if just ANALizes a conversation and drags it down to super-nit picky details..

Dont wait to be told what to do (non-emergency), if you come to the station, check with the station captain (or ranking / leading) person in the station, ask if they have anything that needs to be done.

Expect the scut work, be prepared to sweep the floors, wash the rigs and other "menial" tasks, some places it is a crew chore, some places 1 firefighter will go out and do it.

Show respect for the equipment even if no one else does, it will be noticed, cleaning up tools before putting them away, going out and checking the SCBA, inspecting your bunker gear, placing stuff in their correct place on the truck, in the workroom/storeroom.

Gerard