For several years my wife and I have both served as volunteer firefighters and EMRs in our rural community. It has been an exceptionally rewarding experience. Now, I was never one of those kids who wanted to be a fireman when he grew up, but I've always had a strong interest in emergency preparedness. Growing up in a rural area instilled a deep appreciation of self reliance. That led me to join my local Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) many years ago. Then, several years ago, after just completing a renewal of my C.E.R.T. training I took a summer job at a resort in central Utah. The fire station was about 1/4 mile from the resort. I stopped by to let them know of my C.E.R.T. background in case I could be of use while working at the resort. I was informed they didn't have enough permanent residents to support a C.E.R.T. program (4000 cabins and only 600 permanent residents in the district!) but they were short on volunteers. The previous year they had more than 2 dozen volunteers but a falling out with the board of directors resulted in all but 3 resigning! So I signed up as a volunteer firefighter and for the next 6 months I was 1/4 of the department! That meant I got to do lots of things rookies don't usually get to do.
Upon purchasing a home in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, my wife and I both joined the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Department. Our timing was perfect. There was a fire academy starting that very night, hosted by a neighboring department. Fire academy includes activities that complete about 70% of the requirements to reach Firefighter I certification. The rest had to be done in the home department after graduation. Our department strongly encouraged us to get certified as Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs) as well. EMR is the first level of emergency medical support, below EMTs and paramedics. They used to be known simply as First Responders and often include law enforcement as well as fire fighters. We learned that our little rural department handled about 300 calls a year, most of which were medical emergencies or traffic accidents along the 40+ miles of McKenzie Highway in our district. So the EMR training was essential.
The skills, training, and experience we've gained in C.E.R.T. and as volunteer firefighters can be invaluable when facing an emergency in a remote area, something we might all face when RVing, boating, camping, or riding OHVs. Even before I became a volunteer firefighter I used my C.E.R.T. training to assist injured dirt bike riders. I helped splint a broken arm, a broken ankle, and provided first aid for and transported a rider with a severe knee laceration to the ER. I once spent about an hour removing cactus spines from a rider's arm after he went down into a cactus patch. Many times when we are enjoying the great outdoors we will be a long way from medical help and being able to provide basic or even advanced first aid could reduce suffering and could, literally be the difference between life and death in some cases. So investing a little time in C.E.R.T. training or advanced first aid techniques is a good investment for anyone who goes RVing, camping, boating, or riding OHVs.
Why would anyone want to be a volunteer firefighter? After all, being a volunteer means getting called any time, day or night, and rushing off, often in very bad weather, to assist people in distress. You often see people on the very worse day of their lives -- when their house catches fire, they are in a motor vehicle accident, or are seriously ill or injured. We feel it a privilege to be able to serve our community and, since we are nearly 1 hour away from a major city, it is essential that as citizens we are able to take care of ourselves. Because of our remote location we often make use of Life Flight to transport patients to an appropriate emergency hospital for treatment. It is kind of exciting to learn how to set up a safe landing zone and load patients into the helicopter. It is always a good feeling to know you've helped someone. I really enjoy serving my community!
Being a volunteer firefighter and EMR isn't for everyone. If you happen to have an aversion to seeing blood you might have a problem. Firefighters and EMRs are often called to accidents where people have been severely injured. It may take some condition to get used to helping people in those situations. Fortunately, it has never been a problem for me personally, but I did have a problem with hypodermic needles and I force myself to watch when I am getting injections or having blood drawn for lab work so seeing and helping EMTs with IVs doesn't make me cringe.
Our regular fire department training ensures we are current in our first aid and other critical skills. It adds a lot of peace of mind knowing we are up to date and know what to do in most emergency situations. I can think of few if any events that would be more painful or difficult than facing a personal or family emergency without having any idea what to do. Good first aid training kept up to date is a valuable asset for everyone who enjoys remote outdoor activities. You never know when you will be faced with assisting someone, perhaps giving life-saving assistance, when professional medical help is miles and/or hours away!
While you can get called anytime, you are always a volunteer and can choose whether or not to respond to each call. It is always up to you but we are encourage to respond whenever we can.
How safe is it? Of course there are always risks associated with fighting fires, responding to motor vehicle accidents, and even taking care of sick people. However, proper training, personal protective equipment, and procedures and protocols are designed to minimize the dangers. My wife and I had both been certified flaggers for 5 years in Utah so we already had the skills to provide professional traffic control for motor vehicle accidents. There is always some risk associated with fighting fires but wearing the correct PPE and following proper procedures goes along way toward keeping us safe. In more than 4 years total service and hundreds of calls I have yet to sustain any injury.
The motto "Everybody goes home" is more than just a dandy slogan in the fire department: it is a power rule that all firefighters live by. Our fire chief demonstrated her commitment to that rule as it applies to our community when she ordered the early evacuation of residents during the devastating Holiday Farm fire last September. She is credited for saving hundreds of lives. She and several of our volunteers lost their own homes while out fighting the fire. Since our home was up-wind of the fire we were spared, even though the fire began less than 3 miles from our house!
Are there age limits for being a volunteer firefighter? Generally, you need to be at least 18 years old but some departments have junior firefighter programs for younger teens. Some departments have a mandatory retirement at 55 or 65, but in most cases you can continue to serve as long as you are healthy enough to perform the necessary physical tasks. That is particularly true in volunteer departments. My wife and I are both well into our 70s and are still active volunteer firefighters. I follow the 5BX exercise program I learned in the Air Force Reserve to maintain the physical strength and agility required of firefighters. I currently maintain the level designated for 45-49 year olds and added a few half-squats to strengthen my legs for getting up wearing heavy turnouts and SCBA. I added the squats before I learned that they are part of the next level of exercises. I am now 77 years old and still an active volunteer fire fighter. In fact, I am working this summer as a paid fire fighter during the fire season. I've read of people in their 90s who were still serving as volunteer fire fighters. Many still respond to calls and even when one runs out of physical strength their knowledge, training, and experience can continue to be useful.
Volunteer firefighters make up nearly 3/4 of all the firefighters in the United States. Even in larger cities with paid fire departments there are often opportunities for volunteers. Unfortunately, the number of people stepping up has declined in recent years, but, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter, that may work to your advantage. There may be more opportunities now than there were a few years ago. Some departments require prior experience or even Firefighter I certification but most volunteer departments are willing to train new volunteers, if the volunteers are willing to commit the time necessary for training. Our academy took 4 hours or so on Wednesday nights and all day every Saturday for about 3 months. We consider it time well invested. Not only did we learn valuable and necessary skills we developed useful relationships with members of our neighboring department who hosted the academy. You will usually have to commit to attending at least 3/4 of the weekly drills to maintain your status and readiness to respond.
Our little rural fire department is an all volunteer department. That means there are no paid, full-time firefighters hanging out at the station waiting to be called into action. When someone calls 911 we get a call on our fire department radios and/or an app on our cell phones and have to go to the station to pick up the proper equipment to meet the needs of each call. For medical calls that is usually our Rescue truck, which is similar to an ambulance. For fires and motor vehicle accidents we respond in a fire truck as well. Response times for all-volunteer fire departments are, understandably, a bit longer than for full-time departments. Personnel have to to drop what they are doing, leave their homes or jobs, and drive to the station instead of simply hopping aboard the apparatus and heading out to the call.
We recently received a grant to hire a few full time firefighters during the upcoming wildfire season and I am thankful to have been accepted for one of the positions. The idea is that by having someone already at the station we can respond faster and take care of small brush fires before they grow into wildlfires.
Our fire department was first on scene at the start of the Holiday Farm fire in September 2020. I was out of district and unavailable to respond but I monitored the progress on my department radio, including Level 3 evacuation orders that included my home in McKenzie Bridge. Although the fire started only 3 miles from our home the wind took it the other way and we were spared. At least a half dozen of our fellow firefighters, including our Chief, lost everything while they were out fighting the fire. Because the main highway was closed by the fire my wife had to drive way around to join me at my mother's house. The trip took her 6 hours to reach a destination that is normally 45 minutes away. The fire, evacuation, and subsequent loss of normal services (electricity, telephone, Internet) accentuated the need for proper personal emergency preparedness. It was at least two weeks before we could even get home to check things out and another week before power was restored. Phone and Internet were still months away.
Being a volunteer firefighter involves learning many skills. Obviously you learn how to fight fires -- use fire extinguisher, run hoses, etc. But is also includes a lot of learning about things like building construction and design and how it affects fire behavior, how to use specialized tools for gaining entrance into locked structures or cutting holes for ventilation. We also have to learn protocols and techniques for fighting wildfires. Motor vehicle accident responses require knowledge of vehicle stabilization and patient extrication techniques as well as traffic control. Since our district extends along the McKenzie River we need to know water and ropes rescue techniques. Medical calls require a knowledge of CPR, including the use of an AED (Automatic External Defibrilator) as well as advanced first aid and administration of oxygen. EMTs and paramedics can also do IVs. In our rural district along the McKenzie River we also get frequent calls for water rescue events. Those can be challenging. The river is very cold all year round and flows at a high rate in most places. White water rafting is popular summer activity on the Upper McKenzie River. Keeping up to date on all the training requirements requires a time commitment but it also keeps you on you toes and helps you maintain adequate levels of physical, mental, and emotional capabilities that yield benefits in all parts of your life.
The skills you learn as a volunteer firefighter and EMR can have direct application to handling emergencies while camping and during natural or man-made disasters at home. Fire suppression, first aid, medical triage, and light search and rescue can all be needed and maintaining those skills will always help you when faced with an emergency situation. I once read that "YOU are the only first responder you can really count on" and having lived in earthquake country and seeing how overwhelmed emergency services can be in a large scale disaster, I definitely believe that is true. It is a good feeling to know I can take care of my family and my friends and neighbors if necessary. I fly an EMS flag (see below) on my dirt bike trailer when we go riding so other riders know where they can come for aid if they are injured.
Even if you aren't interested in being a volunteer fire fighter I encourage everyone to seek C.E.R.T. training to better prepare yourself to look out for you, your family, and your friends and neighbors in the event of an emergency or local disaster. You, your family, and your friends and neighbors will be glad you did! Even if you don't chose to serve your community in the long run, just having the C.E.R.T. training will make you better prepared to care for yourself and your loved ones when there is a disaster. Many natural disasters overwhelm emergency services and you will likely be on your own for 2 weeks or so. I once read that "You are the only first responder you can really count on" and I firmly believe that is true.
Step up!
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