Time commitment. Volunteering with CRFPD requires a very significant time commitment on the applicant’s part. All volunteers who are applying to be a part of the Fire or EMS crew at Station 81 will be asked to identify a specific block of time each month for “On Duty” shifts. Typically this is an average of 4 shifts per month between 8 and 12 hours each shift. Training, including the New Member Academy, Firefighter 1 Course, and regular monthly trainings will add to these hours. Members are required to attend a monthly membership meeting and may be frequently asked to help out with community events. Meeting such time requirements needs a significant commitment on the part of the applicant and their family/significant others. We strongly encourage that the applicant think about the time commitment in terms of their families and/or significant other to ensure that they have their support and understanding.

It is not a glamorous job. Participation in the Fire/EMS services is not necessarily for everyone. The work is physically strenuous, emotionally challenging and high stress at times. Service providers have to deal with extremely dirty and noisy work environments and are exposed to unsightly and disturbing sights on a regular basis. The rewarding aspects of the service is the knowledge of a job well done, having the ability to help someone in need and often having made a difference in someone’s life. It is often a thankless job with few tangible rewards, a lot of training and little recognition. You need to ask yourself “is this for me?"