SO YOU WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER?

You think you want to be a firefighter. You think it's a wild adventure. You think it's dangerous and exciting and a big adrenaline rush. You think you might like it -- love it, even -- if you could spend your summers fighting fires in fields or at a raging house fire in the winter, beating yourself into the dirt with the soot-blackened heroes you've heard so much about, or seen pictures of, or seen on TV and in the movies. Maybe someone you know has done it, and now you want it so bad you can taste it. It's become your dream, and you just gotta make it come true.


What is the job of a volunteer firefighter really like?

Volunteer Firefighters perform many of the same types of work that full time, career firefighters do. Firefighters frequently are called upon to perform extremely hard, skilled physical work under adverse conditions. Firefighters not only fight fires but also have responsibility for emergency medical response. Unlike full-time, career Firefighters who work a 24-hours on, 48-hours off, 56-hour work week; Volunteer Firefighters participate in an average of 6 hours of training on a monthly basis and sign up for a 12 hour shift each week and respond as needed to provide assistance at emergency incidents.

Firefighting requires each individual member to perform a variety of duties. This can range from structural firefighting, removing severely injured people from auto accidents, treating people who have been victims of crimes, to delivering babies. The conditions that you work under vary greatly and are often adverse in nature. During firefighting and rescue operations, firefighters must wear personal protective equipment, which weighs approximately 40 lbs. The physical and mental demands of firefighting are rigorous.

Providing emergency medical services is another major role for Erlanger Fire and Emergency Medical Services. As a Volunteer Firefighter or a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician, you will frequently experience emergency medical service activity. Volunteer Firefighters must become trained in First Aid and CPR and are encouraged to become certified at the Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) level but are not required. EMS members are required to become Kentucky state certified EMT's. As a First Responder or EMT-B, you will administer varying degrees of emergency medical aid to injured persons under extreme conditions involving trauma, illness, and personal tragedy. All training is provided to you for free.

Call the Erlanger Fire / EMS Department Today for details on becoming a volunteer firefighter or a volunteer Emergency medical Technician. (859) 727-7942.