Yes. The fire district has monthly Fire and EMS training. These classes are presented at stations every Monday and Wednesday evening and typically one daytime training on a Friday morning each month so that volunteers have many opportunities to attend. The EMS training is designed to meet the continuing education requirements to maintain members’ EMT licenses.
The fire district training bureau offers a Leadership Development Program and an Operational Development Program to further our members knowledge base. These 6 month programs are offered to members with a set number of spaces in each class.
In addition to the above training opportunities, the fie district routinely sends members to state, regional and national training opportunities.
The fire district offers a fall recruit class that starts in early August and a Spring class that starts in early February. Additionally, there is a summer recruit program offered during daytime hours, Monday through Friday in June.
Station residents are provided an unfurnished dorm-like room of their own, most of which have a loft space. Residents share a bathroom (usually with only one other person), dayroom, kitchen and laundry facilities. Residents are also provided with utilities, internet, cable/satellite TV, and gas reimbursement for running calls. All of this is provided at no cost to the resident. Residents help to provide station coverage when they are available and are expected to provide standby at their station 4 nights per week and/or 48 hours per week including time sleeping at the station. Residents communicate with their roommates and other station members to ensure there is adequate station coverage.
The initial training to become a volunteer is the most time intensive portion of your service with the department. Recruit Academies last 4 months with class sessions held every Tuesday & Thursday evening (6PM-10PM) and every other weekend (8AM – 5PM). During the initial recruit training, you will be exposed to a wide variety of skills including firefighting, vehicle rescue, EMT-B requirements, apparatus driving, hazardous material response, water rescues, along with a variety of other skills. The department provides all necessary training and resources for volunteers during this program.
Once a volunteer has completed their initial training in the Recruit Academy, volunteers are expected to complete monthly continuing education training 2 evenings per month. These trainings are held on Monday and Wednesday evenings for all stations. Most stations do additional drills, meetings, truck checks, and station dinners on the off weeks from training. Typically, volunteers have a station commitment one evening each week. Volunteers also respond to emergency incidents when available. On average, our volunteers respond to 10 calls per month.
We are always accepting applications from individuals interested in volunteering with the department. We review those applications several times a year to select recruits to become part of the BCFPD family. The only thing you need to do to be considered in this process is fill out an application. Click here to apply today.
We currently have roughly 220 volunteer members on the department. We’re always looking for additional volunteers throughout the county. If you’re interested, check out our recruitment page for more information at www.bcfdmo.com/recruitment/
Each year we respond to roughly 4,000 calls for service. This number includes responses to structure fires, vehicle accidents, medical emergency, technical rescues, and a variety of other support calls.
We have numerous volunteer opportunities for people who do not want to be a firefighter. Please visit our Recruitment page for more information.