Volunteer Reserve Fire Fighter

The Volunteer Reserve Division of the Santa Clara Fire Department serves as a supplemental resource to the Fire Department’s suppression division. All volunteer firefighters are put through a reserve fire academy and trained in standard rescue and firefighting procedures.

Basic training provided includes instruction in Self Contained Breathing Aparatus (SCBA) operation, ventilation procedures, common hose operations, hoisting and lifting procedures, salvage procedures, and care and maintenance of fire department equipment. In addition, volunteer firefighters are expected to be certified in basic first aid and CPR.

After successful completion of the fire academy and a mandatory probation period, volunteer firefighters candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency in all required skills by passing a ‘certification’ exam. ‘Certified’ volunteer firefighters are then eligible to work as the fourth person (second firefighter position) on any department engine or truck company. In this capacity the volunteer firefighter responds with the apparatus to any emergency call assigned to the unit.

Volunteer firefighters are also provided with radio pagers, which issue an alert ring-down for all fire dispatches in the city. Any off duty volunteer firefighter may respond individually to provide additional assistance at these calls. Only ‘certified’ volunteer firefighters are however allowed to enter fire structures. Probationary volunteer firefighters will therefore typically be assigned to support operations on the fire ground.

All volunteer firefighters are expected to maintain proficiency in firefighting skills by attending a minimum average of 2 regularly scheduled training drills per month. Volunteer firefighters are required to demonstrate proficiency in all required firefighting skills by passing an annual certification exam involving both written and practical evolutions.