Informational Articals - Firefighters - Volunteer Firefighters

Volunteer firefighters don’t get paid for the service they provide to their community. However they are a vital part of any community and their hard work needs to be recognized. Most volunteer firefighters work full time jobs but sacrifice their time off to help if needed. This is important because the number of people needed to fight a blaze is often much higher than the community can afford to provide paid positions for.

Volunteer firefighters have to undergo the same training as paid firefighters. While they generally don’t go rushing to buildings or homes to fight the fire they do many other tasks that allow those more qualified to do their job. Volunteer firefighters can be asked to drive the fire trucks, get fire hoses ready, open up fire hydrants, and provide blankets and support for individuals who are removed from the fire.

Many volunteer firefighters discover that they really enjoy the work they do. Some of them feel it is a rewarding way to give something back to their community. Other people find this volunteer position results in a passion for helping others to arise. They may decide to pursue a career as a full time firefighter.

The number of volunteer firefighters that a community has often depends on the size of it. Some communities depend almost completely on volunteer firefighters as they don’t have the budget to pay any full time firefighters. Most communities offer a combination of both paid and volunteer firefighters in sufficient numbers to ensure there will be enough help for any size of fire they may have to battle.

The specific requirements for becoming a volunteer firefighter vary by state. Some of the common requirements that are found in most states include having a high school diploma or GED, individuals must be at least 18 years of age, they must be in the United States legally, the have to pass a background check, and they have to pass a physical exam.

The number of fires that a volunteer firefighter will respond to depends on the area they live in and how many hours they have available to volunteer. To ensure proper coverage at all times most volunteer firefighters give the person in charge a list of the days and hours they will be available for a given time period. Once the scheduling is approved the volunteer firefighters are place on call to come to duty if needed.