Fire Company Volunteer Application Process

  1. Career
    Recruitment

  1. Volunteer
    Recruitment

  1. Passport

  1. Programs

Our volunteer application process is thorough.  It is not unusual for it to take up to a month to get into an agency.  A lot of that depends on you.  If you complete the requirements as they are presented to you, the process will go more quickly.

Step 1 - Face-to-Face Meeting

You will start with an agency meeting. You will be provided with the necessary forms, to include

  • Application
  • Release of Information Form for Criminal Background Check
  • Drug and Alcohol Acknowledgement Form
  • Copy of Driver’s License
  • DMV Request for Driving Record Release Form
  • Uniform / Gear Memo
  • Beneficiary Form

Step 2 - Background Checks

  • The completed application will be submitted to the CFEMS Volunteer Coordinator for processing.
  • You will be contacted by the coordinator to set a time for fingerprinting. This is required along with the Virginia Department of Social Services Background Investigations form, which will be submitted to the Virginia Department of Social Services for a Child Protective Services Background Check to be started.
  • Results usually takes several weeks.

Step 3 - Non-Operational / Administrative Roster

Once you have successfully completed the background process,

  • you will be added to the agency roster as an “Administrative Member”  
  • you will get to go to your station and meet the members (strongly recommend)
  • you will be assigned a virtual seat and assignments in Target Solutions, the CFEMS online training platform

Target Solutions is used to deliver a variety of training topics and our members certifications. You will receive an email that contains

  • access and login information
  • instruction to change your password
  • training class instructions and assignments

Volunteers interested in an operational position would move to the next step, the health assessment.

Step 4 - Health Assessment

All operational fire volunteers must complete a health assessment provided by our contract vendor. 

  • The Volunteer Coordinator will meet with you to go over the forms needed for the health assessment.  This assessment is paid for by the county except for any immunization booster shots, or titers that need to be drawn to establish immunity (in the event you cannot provide your shot records). 
  • One of the requirements of the health assessment is a drug test.  All operational members of a volunteer fire company are required to participate in random drug and alcohol testing.
  • Upon successful completion of the health assessment, you will be added to the Operational Roster for the fire company you are joining. 

Step 5 - Operational Roster

Once you have successfully completed the health assessment,

  • you will be added to the Operational Roster
  • you will respond to incidents on apparatus
  • you will provide service based on your certifications 

The above is determined by the company officer, who is the person in charge of the shift, or unit. They determine who is allowed to ride and what their assignment is for each shift. 

Note: This is why it is important to get to know the members in your station while you are going through the initial training and health assessment phase of membership.  If the officer and crew don’t know who you are, you are likely to have less opportunities – remember this is a team effort, and new members to the team need to assimilate before trust can be extended.