Volunteer with Coal Creek Fire
Joining the Coal Creek Canyon Fire Protection District as a volunteer firefighter is a serious decision that demands time and involves a profound commitment. Protecting your community provides a tremendous sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and personal reward. In addition to a desire to help people, you’ll also need courage, dedication, assertiveness, and a willingness to face new challenges. If you’re interested in joining the Coal Creek Fire family apply to be a volunteer today.
“Being on the fire department made me a better person by making me a safe driver. You respond to accidents and learn what not to do, and where. You see first hand what careless driving does to people.”
“Helping save a life, using what you have learned in emergency medical response classes, gives you a feeling that is hard to describe.”
“Getting in a tight spot on a fire and next to you is a fellow firefighter working as hard as you, gives you a feeling of fellowship that lasts all your life.”
“Learning skills that will help in an emergency is invaluable for you & your family, especially when living in the mountains.”
“Volunteer firefighters get to explore and learn about all the interesting corners of the canyon; mountain tops, reservoir, railway, dam, and more.”
“The relentless dedication to safety. It was very comforting and refreshing to have so many people dedicated to keeping each other safe. I have taken the lessons learned to all other walks of life. I ask myself, “How would the Fire Dept. approach this?” There is a professional mentality in fire. I like how some of it has rubbed off on me.”
“Volunteer firefighters get to help members of their community, and build deep ties to that community.”
“Volunteer firefighters get to operate some amazing equipment; from fire engines to jaws of life to thermal imager and more.”
“When people ask what did you do with your life, I am proud to say “I did fire and rescue, and helped save lives and property” as a volunteer for twenty years where I lived in Coal Creek Canyon.”
Volunteer Requirements
Tremendous sacrifices and commitment are necessary to volunteer with and become a part of the Coal Creek Fire family.
Membership to the CCCFPD is open to anyone who meets the following qualifications:
- Is between 18 and 60 years old
- Resides within the District
- Has a current, valid Colorado Driver’s License
- Has a high school diploma or equivalent
- Is in good physical health (e.g., able to lift and carry up to 100 pounds at waist height)
Trainee firefighters have 24 months (2 years) to complete and pass the following initial training requirements:
- Firefighter I Course and HazMat Operations (approximately 200 hours to complete)
- First Responder Course (approximately 80 hours to complete)
- Basic Wildland Firefighter S-130/190 Course (approximately 40 hours to complete)
- Ambulance ride-along with a designated ambulance service provider (an 8 to 12-hour shift)
- Qualification on assigned station vehicles and the Ambulance. (This is also ongoing training to verify a member’s proficiency in the driving and operation of these vehicles.)
Upon successful completion of the probationary requirements, members then become active firefighters who must meet the following response and training requirements annually in order to retain their active membership:
- Incident Response: Active members must respond to a minimum of 20% of ALL incidents in each calendar year. CCCFPD is summoned to approximately 250 calls a year. About 75% of these calls are medically-related. The average duration of a medical incident is 60 minutes, which includes cleaning, restocking, and refueling the vehicles after each call. Structure and wildland-type fires vary in length. Some fires take several hours to extinguish, while others may take days to get under control.
- Training: All members must have a minimum of 36 fire training hours and 12 medical training hours annually. Fire classes cover structure fire, wildland fire, SCBA, and HazMat training. Medical classes cover basic life support skills, CPR, AED, bloodborne pathogens / contaminants, and ambulance training.
Wildland team members respond to incidents involving wildfires within the District, as well as mutual aid requests to support wildfire suppression efforts in Jefferson, Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek & Larimer Counties. Wildland incidents can be large in scale and complexity, and wildland team members are expected to commit to 12 to 24 hour shifts when responding to an incident.
All Wildland Team Members must meet the following:
- Complete a 40+ hour basic training course (S-130/190)
- Maintain a current American Heart Association (AHA) CPR certification
- Pass an arduous level physical agility test (pack test) annually. The pack test is a three mile walk carrying a 45 pound pack that must be completed in 45 minutes.
- Attend an 8-hour wildland refresher course (RT-130) annually
- Attend an additional 4 hours of relevant in-district training annually
Membership Benefits
- Free Training: All firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical training is provided. Learn new skills that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
- Pension Benefits: Volunteer firefighters with ten or more years of service are eligible to receive a Retirement Pension (the amount is based on length of service).
- Leadership Skills: Benefit from the opportunities for advancement and leadership responsibilities on the operational and administrative side of the Coal Creek Fire.
- Social Gatherings: Enjoy socializing with the other Coal Creek Fire members at the annual Firefighter’s Recognition dinner and the summer barbecue picnic.
- And much more: Be active in your community, meet new neighbors and friends, and learn new areas of Coal Creek Canyon.
All applicants must pass a Driving Record and Criminal Background check, a Pre-Service Physical Examination (including a drug screen test) by a physician designated and paid for by the CCCFPD.
In-House Training
Fire Training is held on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. This training covers a wide range of topics necessary for dealing with structure fires and motor vehicle accidents.
Station Training is held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Station training familiarizes volunteers with the trucks, fellow firefighters, and equipment at your assigned station.
EMS (Emergency Medical Service) Training is held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. EMS training covers a wide variety of topics necessary for performing basic life support (BLS) skills.
Wildland Fire Training is held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Wildland training covers a wide variety of topics necessary for dealing with wildland fires.
When you volunteer with Coal Creek Fire, you become an asset to your community & part of our family!
Email recruiting@coalcreekcanyonfd.org for a CCCFPD membership application today.