MCFD No. 1 Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in becoming an MCFD No. 1 Volunteer Firefighter?
Click here to submit an interest card or request more information about our volunteer programs.
The largest and most valuable assets to our organization are our Volunteers who call Marion County Fire District No. 1 home.
Since MCFD No. 1 was formed over 30 years ago with the merger of the Brooks Rural Fire District and Four Corners Fire District establishing an area of emergency coverage of more than 80 square miles.
Today we meet the emergency needs of citizens with a diversified Career and Volunteer workforce. Our programs utilize Volunteers in many capacities, through three different response type positions:
If You Want To Volunteer
Fire Chief Kyle McMann and Battalion Chief Mark Bjorklund encourage visits and tours for anyone interested in volunteering. They have jobs for everyone, from administration to support personnel, volunteer or career positions. They run multiple recruitments every year and always accept applications.
Volunteer Firefighters Association
The Marion County Volunteer Firefighters Association raises funds and supports causes in the community through their efforts. Kyle McMann, Fire Chief at Marion County Fire District No. 1, lists community events like food and toy drives and the Brooks breakfast that fund their scholarship program and other charitable endeavors.
A Combination of Career and Volunteer
Mike Berger, Captain at Marion County Fire District No. 1, explains how a combination of career and volunteer personnel make up the team at the Fire District.
Volunteers Will Always Be Needed
Even though Marion County Fire District No. 1 employs many career EMS personnel and firefighters, volunteers and support personnel will always be needed at MCFD No. 1.
Become A Rescue Apparatus Operator
Jerry Martin, Volunteer Apparatus Operator at Marion County Fire District No. 1, encourages you to become a Rescue apparatus operator so you can help the volunteer personnel take Rescue 323 to scenes and assist firefighters and EMS personnel at accident scenes, fires, and other events that require specialized and backup equipment and supplies.
Student and Resident
The Student and Resident positions were created to maintain consistent staffing of our six volunteer response stations. Individuals are assigned to a specific career shift enabling them to work consistently along side career firefighters and paramedics. This program best prepares individuals to enter the workforce with current educational training, skills and practical work experience. Minimum activity requirements are measured quarterly to include on duty time, training time and public service/education hours.
Qualifications: You must have either; completed the NFPA Firefighter 1 coursework -or- possess a National Registry EMT (or higher) certification with the ability to acquire Oregon reciprocity within 90 days of appointment -or- you are currently enrolled and are actively participating in the Chemeketa Community College Fire Program. We have both EMS and Firefighter positions available at most stations.
Tour of Duty
The Tour of Duty position was created to accommodate individuals who wished to give of their time to MCFD No. 1 but do not live within a limited driving distance to one of our designated Volunteer response Stations. This Volunteer position type allows the flexibility to schedule convenient times to be on duty and available to respond to the communities needs. Minimum activity requirements are measured quarterly to include on-duty time, training time, and public service/education hours. We recruit Operations Support Volunteers as entry-level with opportunities to advance to other positions after an appointment and initial training.
Home Responder
The Home Responder position is the traditional volunteer role. This position has existed in US history since Benjamin Franklin established the first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia (1736). Many of today’s more rural fire agencies and fire districts rely on volunteers who respond when needed. Home Responders live within a limited driving distance of one of our designated Volunteer response Stations. We have Firefighter and Operations Support volunteer positions available at several stations.
Our Home Responding Volunteer Firefighters also contribute a couple of 12-hour shifts per month that the Volunteer selects based on their availability. The number of 12-hour shifts varies depending on how many calls for service the Volunteer is available to participate in from their home assigned station. The fewer calls they are able to respond to with their assigned home station will have a higher number of 12-hour shifts. This ensures the Volunteer Firefighter is receiving ongoing opportunities to utilize their skills and training on actual scene events. This also encourages ongoing training and promotional opportunities for more advanced positions in leadership.
Qualifications: Firefighter positions are available to those who are already certified or qualify for reciprocity. We recruit Operations Support Volunteers as entry-level with opportunities to advance to other positions after an appointment and initial training.
Volunteer Position Descriptions
For each of the types of participation levels above the following are the position descriptions. Individuals interested in volunteering their time should review the specific training requirements and activity descriptions.
Additional information about the volunteer recruitment process can be found in our Volunteer Recruitment FAQ Page.
The men of the first volunteer fire department, called the Union Fire Company, totalled about two dozen and pledged to hasten to the scene should a fire break out in a fellow member’s home. Their equipment consisted of leather buckets for dousing flames with water and linen bags for spiriting valuables out of burning buildings. The volunteer fire department offered members an opportunity to serve their city and improve themselves.