volunteer applications questions?

[larry cook]

This may have already been asked?
Do many volunteer fire depts do background check on prospective members. Driver license checks? Should they in reguard to the number of firefighters that start fires? We have just started doing these checks recently? It used to be the good old boy thing. If you knew somebody you where in.

[alexff67]

In NY a background check for arson must be done before you can become a vollie. That started last year also to be on the drivers list they check your license per our insurance agency.

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Put The Wet Stuff on The Red Stuff

[ignition_point]

Depends on your dartment's SOG's I suppose. Around here, if you have been convicted of a felony, you are unable to get onto the department. That might be a state statute here in Indiana, but I can't be certain on that. All the departments I know of conduct background checks for felony convictions around here.

[Catch]

Our department does both a background check and a driver's license check. Depending on what kind of hits come back helps make the decision. We also do a check of the applicant's vehicle insurance. Since they respond to the station in POV, they are technically covered by workman's comp. as soon as the page goes out. So, they have to carry minimum $25,000 liability insurance as well.

[Calvertvolunteer]

Calvert county MD is a short personal information page and a background check by the state fire marshall

Prince George's County is an extensive background check by several agencies. They even take two sets of fingerprints

[CaptainCarp]

We do a complete background check on all new applicants. Anybody that has a felony or traffic problems gets the boot. As public servents Paid or Vol. we have a image to up hold.

[res7cue]

My dept does and extensive criminal history and drivers record investigation.

We also address criminal history and driving records in the applicants entrance interview, both vollies and career.

The background checks are then performed without the knowledge of the applicant. This is done to check the honesty of the applicant. Criminal history in PA is not grounds for declining an applicant membership in a volunteer dept. However if they indicate they have no criminal history, either on their application or during the interview, then they have committed an act that they now can be denied membership/ employment.

Sign of the times when you have to conduct business to keep out the undesirables!!

[Adze]

We are working it out with the town now for them to do background checks for us. Right now, we only check other FD's if you were previously a member somewhere.

[ffWeber]

Originally posted by Calvertvolunteer:
Calvert county MD is a short personal information page and a background check by the state fire marshall

Prince George's County is an extensive background check by several agencies. They even take two sets of fingerprints

Harford County has an extensive background check on potential members as well; except for the fingerprints, we check for Felonies(i.e. Arson), Driving Record, etc- through several agencies.