Openings

[nova_pitbull]

Is there any openings in Tampa or Ellenton Flordia? I am a volunteer firefighter in Gainesville Va and looking to move down to Flordia.

[Oldcaptain]

Nova.....in order to even be considered for a full time job in Florida, you must already have your Florida Minimum Standards Certification (Firefighter II and Haz Mat Ops) as well as Florida EMT (some places will accept National Registry temporarily). They will not accept Pro Board Certifications or other state certifications at the Fire College. We will be giving a test in the next couple months to establish an eligibility list but we are not currently hiring.

The State Legislature recently mandated cut back in the budget and that has severely impacted all municipalities and most are not hiring unless they have vacancies... No one is putting on new people unless it is with a grant.

The counties in this area that still have volunteers that are very active are:

Citrus County
Sumter County
Polk County
Manatee County
Levy County
Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue (Pinellas County)
Possibly Treasure Island Fire Department (Pinellas County)

But even volunteers have to take the Florida Minimum Standards for Volunteers which is think is 200+ hours before you can actively fight fire. That is part of the Florida Administrative Code (Its the Law)

[SCOTT 4.5]

But even volunteers have to take the Florida Minimum Standards for Volunteers which is think is 200+ hours before you can actively fight fire. That is part of the Florida Administrative Code (Its the Law)

I think that is a great idea. Why is there only a handfull of volunteer departments down there ?

[SCOTT 4.5]

I have family in Longboat key, do they do any type of ride along's ?

[Oldcaptain]

I think that is a great idea. Why is there only a handfull of volunteer departments down there ?

Because the requirements are so stiff to belong (in order to be able to fight fire) and the classes available are so EXPENSIVE and not readily available. They fill up faster than they are advertised.

In terms of Longboat key......I have no idea. Try a search for their Fire Department and see if there is a contact #

[SCOTT 4.5]

WOW, Maybe Pennsylvania should do something like this. We have volunteer departments behind every rock, at least in my county. Thanks for the info capt.

[Oldcaptain]

The volunteers need to train I will be the first to stomp my foot and say that. If you are doing the job paid or volunteer (I volunteered for 29 years) take the training. But if you are requiring something under state law, then you should make it available and affordable. It costs over $1500 to go to minimum standards classes in Florida and then after you finish you pay $30.00 to take the test. I am all about training, but it seems to be a money making chute for the state as opposed to a desire to train. Florida Training is good...but it is outrageously expensive. Not may people who volunteer can afford to pay that much money out of pocket and some small departments don't have the budget to send people so the smaller volunteer departments are being choked down because of this. Volunteer departments that do manage to send you to school or sponsor you have some outrageous (in some cases) pay back requirements like putting in 25-40 hours a week at the volunteer station. People who work 40 hours and have families can not do this.....so it seems to be a no win situation no matter what way you go.

In my area there is a small volunteer department in a little retirement community that is landlocked by the county. This department has a membership that goes to 40+ in winter and could drop to 15 in the summer (snow birds). The other problem is that the youngest person on the department is 55 (retirement community remember?) because you have to be 55 to live there and you have to live there to belong. They have been constantly under a mircoscope by the Florida State Fire College (which investigates complaints for compliance and safety violations involving fire departments).

[SCOTT 4.5]

Very interesting. Sounds to me like you guys got your hands full. I feel for ya, when I was in the Marines we had a couple of older guy's, but they were CO's. I wasn't in the fire end of it, but I did know just about everyone there. They were alway's training and I must say they (the older guy's) kept up to the young guy's. Maybe it was the strict fitness training.

I know you said it was in a retirement community but could somebody outside the community come and volunteer ?

Why is it so strict in Florida ? Are they trying to eventually have all career departments ?

[Oldcaptain]

no......you have to live there to be a member.

Why is it so strict in Florida ? Are they trying to eventually have all career departments ? Won't Comment on that.

[SCOTT 4.5]

Won't Comment on that.
I see... politics ??