Joining the Team
To become a volunteer firefighter, you must be at least 18 years of age. You must live within our primary response area. You must have a clean driving and criminal record. You must be in good physical condition and be able to pass the CPAT physical ability test, a medical screening and a background check. Those are some of the legal requirements, but the real key is your sense of community, ability to communicate and work well with others in the sometimes high-stress environment of emergency response operations, and personal drive to help others. Can you take orders? Can you adapt and overcome obstacles? Can you function well under frustrating and life-threatening conditions? Can you maintain a sense of compassion under all circumstances? If so, then come to one of our Company drills, and we’ll talk.
Initial Training & Reporting Structure
Bonny Doon Volunteer Fire & Rescue is Santa Cruz County Fire Company 32. Santa Cruz County contracts CalFire to provide County Fire services, so our administration and training is provided by CalFire, whose CZU Unit Headquarters are in Felton. New volunteers go through a county Volunteer Fire Academy which usually begins in January and runs through May or June. Classes are often at the Ben Lomond Training
Facility on Empire Grade. Upon completion of the academy and licensure as an PSFA or EMT, volunteers are issued a pager and can begin responding to emergency calls in the community.
Ongoing classes and certifications are provided by CalFire’s Training Battalion, but Company drills are conducted by Company 32 itself. The usual schedule is to have drills on the first Saturday Morning, 3rd Tuesday evening, and 4th Thursday evening in a month. However, training schedules can change depending on what we are doing.
Write to [email protected] to sign up to receive the monthly training schedule. Typically, we train on structural firefighting and medical aid in the fall and winter, and then focus on wildland firefighting, vehicle extrication and rope rescue in the spring and summer. This allows us to be prepared for what the typical “worst-case” call is for a given season. Apart from attendance at Company Drills, volunteers must complete monthly online continuing education assignments, and periodic re-certification classes handled by CalFire’s Training Battalion to remain current. Through a combination of training, drills, and attendance on a minimum number of calls, volunteers keep their knowledge up to date and their skills in practice, so that they’re ready to respond when their pager goes off with whatever help might be needed.
Facility on Empire Grade. Upon completion of the academy and licensure as an PSFA or EMT, volunteers are issued a pager and can begin responding to emergency calls in the community.
Ongoing classes and certifications are provided by CalFire’s Training Battalion, but Company drills are conducted by Company 32 itself. The usual schedule is to have drills on the first Saturday Morning, 3rd Tuesday evening, and 4th Thursday evening in a month. However, training schedules can change depending on what we are doing.
Write to [email protected] to sign up to receive the monthly training schedule. Typically, we train on structural firefighting and medical aid in the fall and winter, and then focus on wildland firefighting, vehicle extrication and rope rescue in the spring and summer. This allows us to be prepared for what the typical “worst-case” call is for a given season. Apart from attendance at Company Drills, volunteers must complete monthly online continuing education assignments, and periodic re-certification classes handled by CalFire’s Training Battalion to remain current. Through a combination of training, drills, and attendance on a minimum number of calls, volunteers keep their knowledge up to date and their skills in practice, so that they’re ready to respond when their pager goes off with whatever help might be needed.
