Time commitment
The time it takes varies a lot between departments. A busy department near a highway is very different from a quiet rural district. These are the parts that add up.
| Part | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Initial training | A recruit academy and any medical or wildland courses, spread over weeks or months. |
| Monthly training | Regular drills to keep skills current, often one or more evenings a month. |
| Calls | Responding when paged. Many departments ask volunteers to make a minimum share of calls. |
| Duty shifts | Scheduled time at the station, in departments that staff stations with volunteers. |
| Other | Meetings, community events, fundraisers and equipment checks. |
Questions to ask a department
- How many hours is initial training, and when is it held?
- How many training hours do you require each month and each year?
- How many calls do you average each month?
- Do volunteers respond from home, staff the station, or both?
- Is there a minimum number of calls or shifts?
- How far from the station can I live?
Participating departments answer these on their volunteer pages.