Community Service

As a firefighter there are many opportunities for community service both on the job and off.  Community organizations look to the fire department for a multitude of non-emergency public safety services.  As a member of the fire department you may be asked to participate in community celebrations, school carnivals or to speak to civic groups and stand-by at large public assembly events.  Many departments establish a “speaker’s bureau” of firefighters that are prepared to respond to these various community requests.

Civic Organizations
From time to time service clubs and civic groups ask the fire department to provide professional advice and information pertinent to their mission.  Subjects may range from emergency vehicle access to their neighborhood to emergency medical advice or fall prevention for seniors.

Community health fairs are quite common as well as seat belt and child car seat clinics, where the Fire Department may have an integral part of the program.  The list below includes a few of the many groups firefighters may be asked to serve on, providing added opportunities for involvement in the community.

• Safety Council
• Diversity Council
• Chamber of Commerce
• Immigrant and Refuge Forum
• National Night Out
• County Mutual Aid Association
• County Emergency Operations Committee
• Public Safety Training Facility Committee
• Juvenile Fire Setter Coalition
• Community Development and Planning Groups

Educational and Public Education
The Fire Department has close relationships with local schools and firefighters work with schools on fire and life safety curriculum development. They coordinate an organized schedule of fire safety classes, taught by firefighters in the school classrooms.  The fire safety demonstration trailer, home hazard house classes, Sparky the fire dog, fire truck visits to the schools, and fire station tours are regularly scheduled events. Firefighters are routinely invited to participate in school district events such as:

• Elementary School Carnivals
• Health and safety fairs
• SADD – Vehicle and Seat Belt Safety promotions
• Career Day talks and displays

Off Duty Community Involvement
As members of the Fire Department individuals naturally have personal interests and community involvement that may or may not relate to their role as a firefighter.  Many firefighters are busy on their own time serving as coaches, volunteers, advocates for youth organizations. These groups recognize firefighters as advocates for the community’s well being and hold it in high regard.  Firefighters are generally thought of as “can do” people who can accomplish great things because that is what they do every day on the job. 

Community involvement on personal time is not a prerequisite for being a firefighter and is not something that is expected by Fire Department leadership.  Firefighters are just like everyone else.  They have individual passions for many different subjects and interests that are as diverse as the community that we live in.  The nature of the firefighter work schedule allows a considerable amount of personal time to lend to outside interests.