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Responders undergo extensive training so they can respond to 911 calls. You'll take classes in structure and wildland fire response, hazardous materials, confined space operations, and emergency medical aid. Courses are paid for via Santa Cruz County Fire.
Once you've received your basic certifications you can start responding with the department. You'll have a pager that tells you an incident has been reported. If you're available you'll drive to the fire station and join us in responding. Our calls cover almost anything someone might call 911 for: accidents, injuries, fires, and public assistance of various sorts. Over time, there are many ways for your volunteer career to grow. If you're interested, you may drive the fire engines, command incidents, and get involved in many other aspects of the department.
Almost anyone can join us, though good physical fitness is a valuable asset. In addition to the initial classes responders need to attend trainings twice a month, an additional business meeting once a month if possible, and help with a few other things, like the barbecue in June. After that, how many incidents you respond to is up to you and your schedule. Working full time should definitely not stop you from joining us if you're interested. We have more responders available during evenings and weekends when people are at home, but we'll work with almost anyone who wants to participate. We're always looking for people who intend to stay in the community too, as there is a lot of information that gets learned only with time, but we also have members who go on to fire service careers elsewhere. In short, we're flexible.
Auxiliary members of the department don't respond to 911 calls. Instead, they help keep the department functioning in other ways. There is always paperwork to do, and we welcome assistance with the barbecue in many ways, from soliciting donations to cooking food, to setup and tear-down. Auxiliary members might only have a few hours a month to donate, or they may have more. We want to hear from anyone willing to assist us, and we'll do our best to find tasks that work with both your schedule and skills.
If you'd like to volunteer in any role with Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue, please contact Assistant Chief Jaci Viskochil at 408-353-4078 or Chief Alex Leman at 408-353-3159. We look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your interest!
A quick reminder: CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training is happening on November 3, 10, and 17, 2007. To register, or for more information about CERT training, email cert@lomaprietafire.org or contact Lance Louge'e at 408-353-5300. For more information about CERT itself, visit the CERT website at: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/