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Joining the Greenfield Fire District
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We are always looking for new volunteers to join our brotherhood! Most people probably make the mistake in believing that they can not help out in a fire department - and that is simply not true. Being a member of the fire department involves much more than simply fighting fire. Find out more about what it means to volunteer in the Greenfield Fire District by downloading our pamphlet. |
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How you can Serve the Community
"Volunteering" in the fire service can have many meanings, and that's because there are many ways one can help out. For the purposes of this conversation, we'll talk about two main categories one can volunteer with the Greenfield Fire District: as a firefighter or as a member of the Auxiliary. While both have a multitude of different activities and unique demands, they are equally important.
When asked the question, "What do I have to do if I want to volunteer with your department," no two people will answer the same. We believe that many people have misconceptions on what it is actually like to volunteer in our department.
There is a fair amount of training that New York State mandates that you must take (all of this is free to you as a member of the company) to be a firefighter with the Greenfield Fire District. In addition to the state requirements, our district mandates that you take a few training courses, before you can be qualified as an "interior" firefighter (a firefighter that can wear a SCBA and go inside a house that is on fire, you also must be at least 18 years old - per New York State).
But you do not have to be an interior firefighter to fill a valuable role in the department. A popular misconception about being a "firefighter" is that all a firefighter does is "fight fire," nothing could be further from the truth. Firefighters with the Greenfield Fire District train extensively with tools that allow us to "extricate" people from cars (via the Jaws of Life) – which requires an entirely different skill set than fighting fires. We also provide Emergency Medical Service (we have many Emergency Medical Technicians – EMTs) to our fire district and we also handle HAZMAT (Hazardous materials) emergencies as well. As you can see, there are many "hats" that firefighters wear and they do much more than fight fires.
If you don’t want to participate in the fire protection responsibilities as a member, you can join the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary’s responsibility summed up is to support the firefighters: for example bringing food to a scene of an emergency, or having a bake sale to help raise funds for the firefighter’s budget. I think you’ll find that ALL tasks of the fire department are equally important – it is a true "team sport." Without teamwork, the fire department simply could not function.
What does it take to Volunteer with Greenfield Fire District?
Firefighting is by nature a dangerous profession. As a volunteer agency, members can donate as much time as they deem necessary. As such, a member must be vigilant in honing his/her skills through training to protect themselves and their fellow firefighters. This seems contradictory to being a volunteer, but it’s necessary to point out the seriousness of the nature of firefighting.
Members are required to attend at least 50% of the monthly meetings and at least 50% of the weekly Tuesday night truck checks/drills that they are assigned. Most members however participate much more than these minimum requirements.
Being a firefighter isn’t something that you should do without giving it some thought - but there is a GREAT feeling of self-worth and honor in serving the community and being able to save lives.
There is also a plethora of fund-raising, fire prevention, and other social functions the department hosts throughout the year which include (but are not limited to) the following: annual Halloween parties, annual "Health and Safety" day at the Wilton Mall, annual fire prevention at the Dorothy Nolan Elementary School and Greenfield Elementary School, and car washes, pancake breakfasts and chicken barbeques.
Another responsibility of our members that is hardly ever thought of when describing firefighting is the maintenance duties of our members - this includes both the firehouse and firetrucks. Preparing a firetruck for parades for example can take five to ten hours - and that's only one truck. Members also take care of the firehouse grounds - mowing the lawn, planting flowers, triming bushes, cleaning bathrooms, waxing floors - these are all part of being a member.
Misconceptions about Volunteering/Joining
- How can I be beneficial with no background/experience/training in firefighting?
All training is provided free too you and most classes are held at night to work around a standard 9-5 weekday job. While there are base training requirements you must meet, its up to you if you wish to complete more advanced training courses such as advanced firefighting classes, vehicle extrication, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Hazardous Materials.
Members are not expected or allowed to take inappropriate risks at a fire scene, expecially if they do not have the experience, training, ability, and aptitude for a particular task in attacking a fire. As explained above, there are many jobs to be performed at a firescene and only the most experienced and trained members of the department are assigned direct firefighting responsibilities in challenging situations. Other firefighters perform essential supporting functions. Remember that firefighting is a team sport - and only by working together can the department succeed.
- The Fire Department is just a "social club" to hang out
The fire department is a brotherhood, so there is a strong social aspect to the organization - but it is a highly professional environment. The Greenfield Fire District has a no-tolerance alcohol policy and the only time that alcohol is on the grounds is during annual picnic. All members take their membership very seriously and uphold themselves to high professional principles.
- "I don't think I have enough time to be able to join"
Members are not expected to give up their careers and family life. Obviously, a volunteer's ability to respond to alarms is limited by being away from the district for professional or personal reasons, being ill or injured, or having other pressing commitments that must receive priority. Answering calls is not a requirement for membership, only 50% of monthly meetings (six per year) and 50% of the weekly truck checks/drills (that's around six per year).
While our firefighters are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, we do not have our station staffed - or require "duty shifts". Our members are alerted via pagers that each firefighter wears by the county 911 dispatchers. All available firefighters then have only moments to respond to the stations, get dressed and get the trucks on the road and respond to the call for help.
- "I don't think I would ever fit in at the Fire Department"
The Greenfield Fire District membership is comprised of your neighbors, your friends and maybe even your relatives. They're people just like you with families, jobs and active lifestyles that still find time to give back to their community. The bottom-line is that if you want to serve the community, then you will fit in!
Members of Greenfield Fire District have a variety of professions: Local Business Owners, Computer Scientist, Auto Repair, Central Air/Heat/AC, Electrician, Medical Engineering, Farming, Health and Safety, Information/Computer Technology, Maintenance, Military, Plumbing, Police Officer, Retiree, High School/College Student and Transportation & Shipping just to name a few!
Facts about Volunteering
- Greenfield Fire District volunteers provide both Emergency Medical Services and Fire Protection to the Town of Wilton and Town of Greenfield. We also provide specialized rescue services such as motor vehicle extrication and HAZMAT response. There are many tasks/duties that are essential to a fire department's success which do not involve advanced fire-training - on and off a emergency scene. We believe that you would be very surprised to find out how many jobs require very little training and are essential to the success of the department.
- The Greenfield Fire District is the most active volunteer fire department in Saratoga County. It is part of one of the largest fire districts in Saratoga County - the Greenfield Fire District, which provides fire protection to Town of Wilton and Town of Greenfield. In 2004, the Greenfield Fire District ran over 700 calls. Learn more about the department in the history section.
- The Greenfield Fire District has a "junior firefighter" program where individuals under the age of 18 and above the age of 16 are allowed to be members of the department and receive training. The idea is that once graduated from the junior firefighter program, members will become active members, with existing certifications.
Why Join the Greenfield Fire District?
There are many reasons to join our great department, here we list just a small number:
- Quality Training - You provide the commitment and we provide all of the training for free. From local and county training, NYS certified courses, to regional and national seminars and conferences - we offer you the opportunity to explore every avenue of emergency services and train you to be the best at what you want to do.
- Service Award Program: earn a pension-like reward based on your service to your community!
- Dress Uniforms - Look professional and show your pride in your dress uniform as you march along side your brothers in the many parades throughout the year. These uniforms are free to any member who has been with the department more than one year.
- Annual Firefighter's Banquet - As a member, you and your guest will enjoy this annual event held each winter to recognize the past year's accomplishments of the department and celebrate how special our volunteers are.
- Family Picnic - Each summer the department hosts gets together for a fun filled day for adults and kids alike. We provide the food, music, entertainment and activities to give our members a time to kick-back and relax.
- Social Events - Throughout the year we offer a variety of opportunities for you and your family to get to know the other members of your department in a relaxing atmosphere. This includes conventions and parades, parties and fun fund-raisers!
- Peace of Mind - We recognize that firefighting and providing emergency services is an inherently dangerous business. That's why we take extra measures to protect our volunteers. A comprehensive Volunteer Firemen's Benefit program from New York State, federal benefits, and extensive supplemental insurance supplied by the Greenfield Fire District provide financial security to you and your family should you be injured or fatally wounded in the line of duty. There are also programs in place to help shoulder the emotional burden of dealing with the unfortunate circumstance that we as emergency workers unfortunately deal with.
- Your experience as a volunteer firefighter provides an opportunity to serve your community, your neighbors, and your friends, at times when their lives and property are at risk. Your service is rewarding because you are helping when they need help the most. Words can not describe the overwhelming emotion one feels when a mother hugs in gratitude after you save her children.
- Fire Protection is also a very interesting field, applying advanced technologies and professional skills to help people when their lives and property are at stake. As a volunteer firefighter, you will learn about:
- the engineering of buildings and their protection systems,
- the operation of complex fire protection apparatus,
- the operation of advanced safety equipment,
- first response life support skills such as CPR, and
- leadership and teamwork under conditions of challenge and stress.
The Application Process
If you are interested in joining the department, you can fill out the form below (all fields are required below) and we will mail an application to you. Alternatively, you can stop by to any firehouse any Tuesday night around 7 pm and a firefighter can assist you with an application.