Volunteer fire department

Volunteer fire department

"See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries."

A volunteer fire department (VFD) is an organization of firefighters who have joined forces to perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. According to the [http://www.nvfc.org National Volunteer Fire Council] , 73 percent of firefighters in the United States are members of VFDs.

The first organized force of firefighters was organized in Rome, named the Corps of Vigiles.

The term "volunteer" contrasts with career firefighters who are full-time firefighters, working organized shifts, usually based in a centrally located firehouse. Some volunteer departments may operate as part of a combination system, where paid firefighters also provide emergency services. In this way, a station can be regularly staffed for rapid response with apparatus, and the volunteers provide supplementary staffing and/or staffed apparatus before, during, and after an incident, or while the career staff are out of service doing training.

The term "volunteer" may also be used in reference to a group of part-time or on-call firefighters who may have other occupations when not engaged in occasional firefighting. Although they may have "volunteered" to become members, and to respond to the call for help, they are compensated as employees during the time they are responding to or attending an emergency scene, and possibly even for training drills. An on-call firefighter would probably be expected to volunteer time for other non-emergency duties as well (training, fundraising, equipment maintenance, etc).

In the United Kingdom there are almost no separate volunteer fire departments, but part-time members of fire brigades who man smaller, often rural, stations are known as retained firefighters.

Financial support

A VFD may be financially supported by taxes raised in a city, town, county, fire district, or other governmental entity, as well as corporate and other private donations, federal grants, and other assistance from auxiliary members, or firefighters' associations.

With these funds the VFD acquires and operates the firefighting apparatus, equips and trains the firefighters, maintains the firehouse, and possibly also covers insurance, worker's compensation, and other post-injury or retirement benefits. A VFD (or its governing entity) may also contract with other nearby departments to cover each other in a mutual aid or automatic aid pact as a means for assisting each other with equipment and manpower, when necessary.

Expanded duties

Depending upon the location and availability of other services, a VFD may be responsible for controlling structure fires as well as forest fires. Because it may be the only emergency services department for some distance, a rural VFD may also be fortunate to include First responders, Emergency medical technicians, Hazardous Materials response, and other specially qualified rescue personnel. Law enforcement officers may also be trained in these related duties and overlap with the VFD. The VFD may also have duties as the local fire inspectors, arson investigators, and as fire safety and prevention education, in addition to being the local civil defense or disaster relief liaison.

Emergency response

A VFD is normally reached the same way as other emergency services, such as by calling 9-1-1. A central dispatcher then calls out the VFD, often through equipment such as pagers, radios, or loud signals (e.g., a fire siren). Average response times may be longer than with full-time services because the members must come from different distances to the station or to the incident. However, there is a possibility that more firefighters may arrive at an incident with a volunteer department, as compared to paid departments. Such departments often have a fixed number of firefighters on staff at any given point in time, which sometimes equals the minimal numbers recommended.

Some volunteer fire departments allow the use of emergency lights and sirens by its members. In some states, this is a red light and siren that gives the responding member the same privileges as other emergency vehicles.cite web|url=http://lrc.ky.gov/krs/189-00/920.pdf|title=Kentucky State Law 189.920|date=2008-08-10| In other jurisdictions, this may be a blue or green light without a siren, that only requests the right of way, and does not give the responding member any privileges to break traditional traffic laws.cite web|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh%2E+12+Art%2E+II&ActID=1815&ChapAct=625%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B5%2F&ChapterID=49&ChapterName=VEHICLES&SectionID=59744&SeqStart=121100000&SeqEnd=122900000&ActName=Illinois+Vehicle+Code%2E|title=(625 ILCS 5/) Illinois Vehicle Code|date=2008-08-10| The use of such equipment varies from fire district to fire district based off of need for fast response, distance that members live from the fire station, and the size and amount of other traffic in the fire district. Some departments restrict or prohibit use of such emergency lights, even when allowed by state law, due to the increased risk of traffic accidents involving volunteers responding in emergency mode.

References

External links

* [http://www.volunteerfd.org/ Volunteer Firefighter Resource - VolunteerFD.com]
* [http://www.nvfc.org/ National Volunteer Fire Council]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Rockville (Maryland) Volunteer Fire Department — From a modest beginning of fifty one men and one pumper, Rockville Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD) has grown to four stations, 200 members, and a frontline fleet of 4 Engines, 1 Rescue Engine, 3 Ladder Trucks, 1 Heavy Rescue Squad, 3 ALS Medic… …   Wikipedia

  • Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department — Cy Fair Vol. Fire Dept. Motto: Saving Lives Protecting Property Established 1962 Staffing Combination Strength 500+ (300+ volunteers 200+ paid staff) Stations …   Wikipedia

  • Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department — The Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) in Pasadena, Texas, United States has a membership that includes over 190 active and 45 semi active firefighters. The department responds to approximately 170 alarms per month including technical… …   Wikipedia

  • Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department — InfoboxFireDepartment name = Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department motto = established = annual calls = 69 (2006) 78 (2007) staffing = 38 strength = stations = 1 engines = 1 trucks = 1 squads = rescues = 1 bulldozers = airplanes = helicopters =… …   Wikipedia

  • Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department — The Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department, Penn Hills, Pa Station #2 was founded in 1923 and is in operation today, responding to over 250 calls of service annually.Penn Hills Firefighters operate out of seven stations, spread throughout the… …   Wikipedia

  • Chaires-Capitola Volunteer Fire Department — Established in Leon County, Florida, in 1982, the Chaires Capitola Volunteer Fire Department serves the communities of Chaires and Capitola, as well as 76 square miles (200 km2) of unincorporated Leon County, east of Tallahassee. This… …   Wikipedia

  • Groton Long Point Volunteer Fire Department — (GLPVFD) was establish in 1951 in the burgeoning beach community of Groton Long Point, Connecticut and remains active today. Functioning Year around, the Fire Department runs fire service and the basic EMS needs. GLPVFD also organizes a number of …   Wikipedia

  • Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department — Infobox Album Name = Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department Type = Album Artist = Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard Released = 1999 Genre = Rock and roll, indie rock Label = Fading Captain Series/Luna Producer = Reviews = Last album = Kid… …   Wikipedia

  • College Park Volunteer Fire Department — Coordinates: 38°59′25.296″N 76°56′1.5498″W / 38.99036°N 76.933763833°W / 38.99036; 76.933763833 …   Wikipedia

  • Fire department rehab — is a vital firefighting service on the fireground, providing firefighters and other emergency personnel with immediate medical attention including rehydration, treatment for smoke inhalation, and the prevention of such life threatening conditions …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”