Volunteer Fire Department Training Schedule

The official certification procedure in order to become a working volunteer is extremely rewarding, but calls for commitment and commitment during the period of months and many years. For volunteers without any previous knowledge, training takes between 6–18 months. In many cases, those with prior knowledge or certifications may be able to move their particular certifications into Fairfax County, shortening the method.

To be a reliable provider, volunteers must spend some time operating burning motors and ambulances during problems and constantly exercising and boosting their abilities. Volunteers are required to provide at the least 240 hours annually, but the majority of do a lot more than 1, 000 hours.

Operational volunteers must go to introductory and continuous refresher classes and start to become in great health. All education courses are held on nights and vacations, in recognition of the fact that our volunteers have numerous various other commitments besides volunteering. Oftentimes, profession education courses are available to volunteers who will be incapable of attend the evening classes because external responsibilities.

After finishing the fundamental training process, volunteers might elect to go to higher level instruction (such in order to become a motorist, paramedic, or demand officer.) These programs enable experienced volunteers to improve their particular skills and assume more responsibility during problems, however they are also very discerning, demanding, and time-consuming. Those volunteers who've plumped for to pursue these possibilities reflect the ability, dedication and reliability of Fairfax County’s fire and relief volunteers.

Listed here is a brief history for the preliminary education procedure for EMT-only volunteers. All instruction courses take place on evenings and weekends, in recognition of the fact that our volunteers have numerous other obligations besides volunteering.

Volunteer In-Station Initiation Instruction (VISIT) – this really is an in-station direction program (taught by each volunteer division) to familiarize new members because of the volunteer division and its own fire section, gear and procedures. Duration: adjustable – 7 to thirty day period. (while every section features its own procedure for BROWSE, the program often requires between 8–12 hours of instruction.)

Level I – also called Initial disaster reaction education, Amount 1 is taught within Fairfax County Fire and save Department Training Academy, situated within the Fair Oaks area. The course gives new users an introduction on realm of emergency solutions and details the functions associated with the FCFRD in general. Volunteers will even find out basic disaster supplier abilities particularly CPR, Hazardous components Awareness, and the using a fire extinguisher. Such preliminary training enables brand-new volunteers to drive as an observer on ambulances and fire motors. Length: thirty days. (Evening classes are one night each week plus periodic classes on Saturday or Sunday mornings. 40 hours of total training.)

Real Exam – an extensive bodily will likely be carried out during the Fairfax County Occupational safe practices Center. This exam tests provisional volunteers’ capacity to deal with the stresses to be a crisis services supplier. A passing physical is needed so that you can carry on volunteer education and participate as an operational volunteer.

EMT-B Class – it is a Virginia EMT-B (basic) certification program meeting national standards laid out by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This program offers the knowledge and skills needed seriously to supply fundamental life support (BLS) care and also to operate on their own in a medical crisis. Students discover ways to just take important indications, correctly support customers, provide infants, and treat traumatic accidents or life-threatening medical problems in a pre-hospital environment. Length: 3 months. (Classes in the Fire and Rescue Academy on Tuesday and Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. 120 hours of total instruction.)