The volunteer training section is responsible for the training
of all new operational volunteers to the same certification standards
required of career recruit firefighters. Volunteers devote their
time at one of the 12 Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments within Fairfax County.
The volunteer firefighter is trained and certified in the following:
- Basic Life Support (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) / Automatic External Defibrillation (AED)
- Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B)
- Firefighter I & II (NFPA 1001 2002 Edition)
- Basic Rope Operations
- Virginia Fire Programs-Mayday/Firefighter Survival
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations (HMFRO)
- VFIS Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC)
The EMS Only volunteer is trained and certified in the following:
- Basic Life Support (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) / Automatic External Defibrillation (AED)
- Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B)
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Awareness
Level
(HMFRA)
- VFIS Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC)
As volunteer training
is only conducted on weeknights and weekends, it is possible for
a new volunteer from the moment he/she completes the initial
interview to become a fully qualified operational firefighter
within 12 months. However, 15 to 18 months is a more realistic
timeframe to achieve minimum staffing, while EMS Only
volunteers can achieve operational status in less than six
months.
