Become a volunteer firefighter

Many fire departments, especially in rural areas, depend on volunteers to answer calls. You do not need experience to start. Departments train the people they accept.

Why volunteer

Volunteers help their neighbors on the worst day of their lives, learn skills that last, and join a team that depends on them.

Volunteering is also a strong start to a career as a paid firefighter. Volunteers earn certifications that career departments look for, such as Firefighter I and EMT, and gain real experience on calls. Many career firefighters started as volunteers.

Prefer medical calls? Many departments also need volunteer EMTs and medical responders.

A strong volunteer department saves the community money, too. Many insurance companies price homeowners insurance using the community's ISO Public Protection Classification, from 1 to 10, where 1 is best (in Washington it is the WSRB protection class). Half of that score is the fire department: how many firefighters respond, how quickly they get there, and their training and equipment. More volunteers can mean a better rating and lower insurance bills for everyone.

Questions about volunteering

These answers are true for most volunteer fire departments, but every department does things its own way. To see what it is like to volunteer at a particular fire department, its requirements and how to become a volunteer there, visit that department's page in the directory or see the fire departments recruiting volunteers.

What's it like to be a volunteer?

Volunteer firefighters train and respond alongside the rest of their department, while also holding other jobs and raising families. Fire departments answer far more than fires: medical emergencies, car crashes, grass and wildland fires, alarms and people who need help. In many departments, medical calls outnumber fires.

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, and many do both. Training is usually on evenings and weekends, so people with day jobs can take part. Each fire department's page says what volunteering is like there.

More: what it is like to be a volunteer firefighter and the roles, including ones that never go near a fire.

What are the requirements to volunteer?

Every fire department sets its own requirements. These are the most common:

• A minimum age, often 18. Cadet programs may accept younger people.
• A valid driver's license, and a good driving record for those who drive.
• A background check.
• A medical exam or a physical ability test.
• Living or working close enough to reach the station quickly.
• Completing the department's training and keeping it current.

You do not need experience: departments train the people they accept, and many provide the training and protective gear at no cost. Each fire department's page lists its own requirements.

More: requirements and training and the time commitment.

How do I volunteer?

1. Learn what it involves. Read what it is like and look at the roles, including ones that never go near a fire.
2. Check the requirements and the time. Make sure you can meet them and fit the training and calls into your life.
3. Find a fire department near you. Departments only accept volunteers who can reach their stations quickly. Look up the departments in your county in the directory and read each one's page for how to apply there.
4. Visit on a training night. Many departments welcome visitors when the crew is training, and some hold open houses or information nights when they are recruiting. Meeting the crew and asking your questions is the best way to know if it is a fit. Each department's page says when to come by, or call ahead.
5. Apply. Each department runs its own process, usually an application with references, an interview, a background check and then training. Many departments start new members on probation while they finish training and learn the station.

Find fire departments by county in the directory, or see the fire departments recruiting volunteers.

Tips for new volunteers

• Show up. Reliability matters more than anything else. A department plans around the people it can count on, and showing up for training and calls is how you earn the crew's trust.
• Be eager to learn. Everyone starts with the basics. Ask questions, take feedback well, and practice until the skills are second nature.
• Embrace the hard parts. Training is challenging, and firefighting is often hot, sweaty, exhausting work. A good attitude through the tough days shows the crew you want to be there, and it helps keep everyone's morale up.
• Help beyond the calls. Lend a hand at community events, fundraisers and station upkeep. It is how the crew gets to know you, and how your neighbors get to know their fire department.
• Don't worry about experience. Departments train the people they accept. What they look for is commitment and a good attitude.
• Thinking about a paid career? The officers who watch you show up and learn are the references paid fire departments ask for.

Apply to volunteer

Common questions

Is it paid? How old do I have to be? Can I volunteer without fighting fires? See the answers to common questions.