What it is like to be a volunteer firefighter

Volunteer firefighters train and respond alongside the rest of their department. The difference is that they also have other jobs, families and schedules, and the department plans around that.

The calls

Departments respond to far more than fires: medical emergencies, car crashes, wildland and grass fires, alarms, hazardous materials and people who need help. In many departments, medical calls outnumber fires. What a volunteer does on a call depends on their training and role.

How you get called

Some departments page volunteers from home or work when a call comes in, and whoever is available responds. Others schedule volunteers for shifts at the station. Many use a mix. Each participating department's page on this site says which way it works.

Training

New volunteers go through initial training, often called a recruit academy, and then keep their skills current with regular drills. Training is usually on evenings and weekends so people with day jobs can take part.

Family and work

Calls can come at dinner, at night and on holidays. Volunteers who stick with it usually have the support of their family, and often an employer who understands. It helps to talk with both before you apply.

Why people do it

Volunteers help their neighbors on the worst day of their lives, learn skills that last, and join a team that depends on them. Many also find it leads to a career in fire, EMS or emergency management.