How to Volunteer at the Local Fire Station

Fire safety and preparedness is important for community health and stability. Local fire stations work hard to maintain a high level of responsiveness to house fires and emergency situations like forest fires and natural disasters. Volunteer activism is vital for increasing community awareness and maintaining stable levels of public safety.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Volunteer at the Local Fire Station

1. Contact your local fire station and ask about opportunities to volunteer. Offer your services to help clean the station, make administrative phone calls or help take care of the fire station property.

2. Offer to do community outreach for your local fire station. Volunteer to talk to local schools and community organizations about the importance of fire safety and emergency readiness in your community.

3. Ask about how to help raise money for your local fire station. Many local fire stations have fundraisers and do telephone campaigns to raise funds. Volunteer to make phone calls or help coordinate fundraising efforts.

4. Call the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) recruitment line at 1-800-FIRE-LINE. The volunteer specialists will help connect you with available local volunteer opportunities in a fire station or other emergency service station related to fire safety.

5. Get politically involved by joining the National Volunteer Fire Council as a local grassroots advocate for fire and emergency services. Download the "NVFC Guide to Grassroots Activism and Emergency Services" from the NVFC website (see Resources below). Activists can also contact the NVFC at (888) ASK-NVFC.

6. Help get your local rural fire station the volunteer funding it needs through the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program operated by the USDA Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management department. Contact your state VFA coordinator by locating their information on the U.S. Forest Service website (see Resources below).

7. Volunteer your energy to secure funds to build a fire station or other emergency service station in your community. Communities who do not have local fire stations can request a loan from USDA Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs by calling [phone].

Tips & Warnings

• Find creative ways to volunteer your time to the local fire station. Organize a car wash, bake the volunteer fire-fighters cookies or offer to help maintain the fire station property as a creative approach to volunteerism.

Resources

• Consult a guide to grassroots activism.
• Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for state Volunteer Fire Assistance coordinators.