Requirements
- You must be 18 years old
- You must live in Salcha
- You must have a clean criminal background check
- You must have a good driver record check
- You must be in good general health and fitness
Application
Fill out a written application. You can print out a blank copy by clicking here. Remember to print out all four pages. When you complete your application, call SFR Station 1 to make arrangements to drop off a copy of your application and talk to our Chief, Rob Weathers.
Interview/Membership
Next, you attend an interview with the SFR Membership Committee. The committee consists of the President of the Board of Directors, the Chief, and our Team Leaders. The interview typically lasts about 10-15 minutes. At the next Board of Directors Meeting, normally the first Tuesday of each month, the SFR Board of Directors will vote on your application. After the meeting, the Chief will contact you regarding your status as soon as possible.
Life as a Volunteer Emergency Responder
The next 6 months are your probation period. You'll learn about SFR operations, how to drive the emergency vehicles, be issued a radio or pager, and begin responding to 911 call "tone-outs." As a volunteer, you'll be a vital member on one of two Teams that covers 911 calls/responses, each for a two-week period each month. No...we don't spend our days living in a fire station waiting for 911 calls to come in. We go about our daily lives at home, or our job, or fishing for "Kings" on the Salcha River. We carry our radios or pagers, and when we are paged for a 911 call...we drop what we are doing and go to help.
You'll need to attend Training "Drills" on Tuesdays of each month at 1900 (7 PM). The first two training sessions are focused on EMS training, the third is Firefighting, and the fourth is dedicated to equipment maintenance and inventory. We do a lot of training to ensure we are always ready to provide the best service to our community. We'll first train and certify you as a first responder, able to do Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator(AED) and drive the emergency vehicles. Once you are trained for the basics of emergency response, typically we will start your advanced training as an EMT or Firefighter...or both, depending on your interests. We also have some awesome rescue training available including swiftwater rescue, rope rescue, boat rescue operations including working with our airboat, and snowmachine rescue operations.
But honestly, being a member of our squad involves giving some of your time, some might say a lot of it. We average about 5 EMS calls and expect around 2 fire calls per month at all hours of the day and night. As volunteers, there is no pay for our time, other than the small break the Borough gives our volunteer homeowners on their property taxes. What you can expect is that we will take care of you to the best of our ability. As a member of a professional team, we will provide you with the best training and equipment available. Our reward...being able to help our friends and neighbors through an emergency crisis, and THAT is a good feeling! If that is what you're looking for, we want you, and our community needs you.