Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't see an answer to a question drop us a line and we will be happy to answer them. See email address above. 

No you don't. SVVFD will provide all the training you need to work safely as a volunteer. However, if you are or have been a firefighter that would be an asset. 

A certain level of physical fitness is required to be able to wear the protective gear and to effectively carry out the various duties required by firefighters. While you don't need to be an Olympic athlete, you should be someone who works out on a fairly regular basis. However, there are many roles volunteers can take and not all of them require the same level of physical exertion. If you are uncertain whether or not you meet the physical requirements you can speak to the Fire Chief who can assess your readiness.

Physical training is offered twice a week and led by one of our members who is a certified personal trainer.  

No, however if you only come up occasionally or on weekends then this probably won't be the right fit.  

Volunteers attend practices weekly. While they are not mandatory they are strongly encouraged. Bi-weekly on Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm and every other Saturday from 9:00-12:00. These practices are important as they involve on-going training of skills, learning new skills and team building exercises. Additionally, volunteers are on-call and may sometimes be required to stay in the Valley during a period of time to ensure a full-compliment of members ready and able to respond to calls. 

Ideally, the perfect candidate would be someone who lives full-time in the Valley, has a flexible job schedule, retired or only works part-time. 

Yes, you will be asked for a note from your physician indicating your physical ability to do this role.

You will meet with the Fire Chief and be given an application form to complete. You will need to provide a doctors' note stating you are physically able to perform the tasks required. You will also be required to submit a drivers abstract. If you are selected, you will be given an information package stating the requirements of the job and a training schedule. 

That's okay. You can travel and it is not mandatory to come to all trainings or volunteer at every event. However, there is a high level of commitment needed to get you trained to a level whereby you are competent to go on calls. Long absences or too many missed trainings means you will fall behind and this is not ideal in keeping the fire hall functioning. Please consider that while being a volunteer means we can't force you to attend, there is an expectation that you will attend the training and be available to meet the communities needs. 

No, this a volunteer position. You will not have to pay for your gear or to receive training. 

You need to be a minimum of 18 years old to volunteer. We have members currently serving who represent all decades of life. You will not be excluded from consideration because of your age. 

Yes, it can take up to 2 years to fully train a new recruit. Being a volunteer department with a limited pool of available candidates due to our remote location, we ask that you consider being involved for this period of time if not longer. Given this, we know you can't predict what the future holds, but if you already know you can't make this commitment from the start it might be best to wait until your circumstances change and you can apply then. 

Yes, we have several individuals who identify as female on our team. 

Absolutely, we have members who identify as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community.