Why Volunteer?
Like any other public servant I like to help people, it is rewarding making someone's worst day a little better. That's why we do it, to serve our community with competence and compassion. There is more to it though, I get to do this job with my best friends, endless opportunities, cut up cars, medical / fire mitigation, and more. You get out of it what you put into it, it takes having a good work ethic, selflessness, honesty, respect, accountability, and much more. There is no other organization with a reputation like the fire service has, to me it is an honor and a privilege to be a firefighter.
Dustin Courter Firefighter / EMT
Minimum Requirements
The first thing we need to know is whether or not you meet ALL of the following requirements?
- Must be 18 years old or older
- In good physical health
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Have a valid driver's license
- Have a clean driving record
- Has NOT been convicted of any felony crimes or misdemeanor crimes involving trust
What do we expect from you?
We ask that you consider this decision very carefully and take your commitment seriously. Time and dedication is all we require. Your life, our lives, and the lives of the people you help are all affected by your level of commitment. To ensure success the following time commitments can be expected:
Time and Training
Monthly training opportunities:
- One vehicle maintenance night per month (first Thursday 6 - 9 pm)
- One medical continuing education (Advent Health) per month (second Thursday 7 - 9 pm)
- One in house medical training per month (third Thursday 7 - 9 pm)
- One evening fire training per month (fourth Thursday 7 - 9 pm)
- One all day Fire training per month (Saturday after the evening fire training 8 am - 4 pm)
- One cistern check per year (Done monthly on second Saturday of the month 8 am - Noon)
- Annually you must have attended 72 hours of training total
Additionally we host:
- Firefighter One and Hazmat Operations Academy (Odd Years)
- Firefighter Two
- Engineering
- Emergency Medical Technician Basic (Even Years)
- Intravenous Therapy
- Basic ECG interpretation
You must be able to perform the following tasks:
* Upon acceptance to the department you will need to have a complete physical. All associated costs will be covered by RFPD.
What about emergency response?
In District Volunteers
Rattlesnake Fire Rescue responds to roughly 400 calls per year. We are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there are no holidays. With that being said we don't expect volunteers to respond to every call. For in district volunteers we know there will be times where you are out of district or simply can't respond. What we do ask is that you respond when possible and communicate with your station officer if you are going to be gone for an extended period (vacation). You are part of a team and each additional hand on site could mean a world of difference. There's a reason why someone called 911, please keep that in mind. It is expected of you to make 10% of the calls as an in district volunteer.
Out of District Volunteers
Rattlesnake Fire's Out of District Program (OOD) was founded in 2009 and has grown to be an integral part of our operation. Out of district members commute to the district and sign up for shifts. We require OOD complete 36 hours of shift work per month. We realize that life happens and sometimes you need a shift here or there off. We require you get a minimum of 396 shift hours per year.
Benefits
FPPA
The best part of being a firefighter (volunteer or paid) is the satisfaction of knowing you are making a difference in your community and truly helping someone in their time of need. The second family you gain when you join a fire department is unexplainable and amazing. Rattlesnake Fire offers a pension service for its volunteers through FPPA. To be eligible for the pension you must complete the department requirements annually for a minimum of ten years. Currently those requirements are 72 hours of training and 10% of calls for in district volunteers; or 72 hours of training and 396 shift hour for our out of district volunteers. The minimum amount of years to become vested in the program is 10 years of service and the maximum years of service you can earn is 20. The pension pays $18.75 per pensionable year of service ($187.56 for ten years and $375.00 for 20 years). This pension is paid out monthly starting at age 50 and no longer an active volunteer. This pension is paid for life and is transferred to 50% to your spouse upon your death. There are several other benefits Rattlesnake Fire offers to its volunteers that you will learn about in orientation. You do not need any experience to start as a volunteer, we will train you!
If you are looking for a career in firefighting then starting as a volunteer is the way to go. Several of our volunteers are now full time paid firefighters at both Rattlesnake Fire and across the country. By volunteering with Rattlesnake you will get your foot in the door of the fire service, learn what it takes to do the job, obtain certifications, and gain the necessary skills and experience to pave the way into the firefighting career you dreamed of as a child.
Rattlesnake Fire Protection District Application
Please print out the following application for your use. Once completed you may either mail it to us, or drop it off at our Training Center located at 46200 Coal Creek Dr, Parker, CO 80138.