So, you want to be a firefighter?

YATES COUNTY--What does it take to become a volunteer firefighter? When a person volunteers for their area fire department, they are not only committing their time by being on call in case of an emergency, but are also training to improve and hone their skills. From the time someone becomes a member to when they are able to effectively participate in combating a fire, it takes several months of training and dedication.

Dundee Fire Chief Steve Warriner said from the time someone submits an application to join the department to when they become an actual member, "the general rule of thumb is between one and three months." Warriner added, "That depends on how everything falls into place."
"The first step is the background check, and then they meet with our membership committee," Warriner said. "If they have questions for us and we have questions for them, we can kind of let them know what to expect. Then they go to our fire department board for approval. Once they are approved by the department, then they have to get an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) physical. After that, then they are voted on by the village trustees."
Warriner said a recruit needs entry-level training, adding there are four different ways a person can fulfill this requirement in Dundee because they operate the ambulance as well. He said these include scene support, Firefighter I, emergency medical technician (EMT) or certified first responder (CFR). Warriner said the time commitment for each of these courses is between two to six months.
"As far as what skills these courses are designed to teach, in every course the first priority is always safety," Warriner said. "Then it is a general knowledge of the subject. They also need to attend the regular department training at the station. One thing to note about these entry-level courses is you have to pass a written test. These entry-level courses are state courses."
Warriner said these courses are held in the county during weeknights and some Saturdays, with the Saturday courses often running for eight hours. He said once a member is approved, they will be in a probationary period for one year, adding the department will have to vote to make someone a full-time, non-probationary member. Warriner said there are also provisional firefighters who can join at the age of 16 and start early.
"The most difficult part of becoming a firefighter is giving up personal time and making it a part of your life," Warriner said. "If you do enough to really become a part of the department, it really is a major commitment. If you don't, then you are probably going to lag out and not be able to continue."
Warriner said the camaraderie between members of the department is the most enjoyable part of becoming a firefighter, along with being able to learn new things. He said he wished new recruits would spend more time participating in the department, including training, meetings and calls.
"If someone makes a commitment to be a part of everything that we do, they will get a whole lot more comfortable and become a whole lot more productive quicker," Warriner said. "If somebody shows up only occasionally and you hire enough members in the department, people are going to look at them and say 'Who are you?'"
Warriner said new recruits are often put into observation roles and given safe, simple tasks to work on. He said their participation helps determine how quickly a member is given additional roles within the department, adding it can take a year to two years if a member is active and participates.
"It is basically up to the officers," Warriner said. "We are responsible for the safety of everyone in our department. So we [have to be] comfortable as officers in giving them more complex tasks."
Warriner said the entry-level state courses are pretty general, adding a person can have a good idea of what will happen on scene, how to use their equipment and where their equipment is located.
"We have a lot of equipment," Warriner said. "It is a daunting task to remember that stuff when you have been in a long time. And no call is the same."
Warriner said while there are not many initial drop-outs from the training, he finds as time goes on it becomes more frequent, as people do not continue to participate in the department with trainings and meetings.
"You can't just do one course and say 'I'm good to go,' and show up on calls when you want to," Warriner said. "It is an ongoing refresher, which is very important as things change."
Warriner advises new recruits to have patience while going through training and keep an open mind. He also advises keeping up with the regular refresher training within the department as well, adding the overall theme is being able to keep with the time commitment.
Reporter's Note: If you are interested in learning more about joining your area department, call their local non-emergency number. This weekend, some fire departments across the state are participating in the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) 2015 RecruitNY event to encourage community members to volunteer. While not all departments are holding an open house, to find out who is participating, call your local fire department's non-emergency line or check online at www.recruitny.org/participation-area/.