The Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department is always looking for new members. If you are looking for a way to serve your community becoming a member of the PHVFD is an excellent way to do so.
If you would like to join us we are looking for women and men over the age of 16. You will fill out an application and we also require a medical checkup and a criminal record check. This will be paid for by the department. We will also request your drivers abstract. The medical checkup must be done before training begins.
Applicants between 16 to 19 years of age will enter our junior program. Juniors will train alongside regular members but since the safety of junior members is of utmost importance their activities at an emergency scene are limited. Upon reaching 19 years of age junior members will be elevated to regular member status.
All volunteers that wish to join the Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department will go through our recruit training program. This may take 3 to 4 months as there are a number of topics that must be covered. Practices are held on Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30. There may be some weekend training as well during recruit training. This will be worked out amongst the training group to get maximum participation. We realise some people may have to work weekends and if a person cannot attend we will work with them to make sure they do get the necessary training.
After training you will become a probationary member of the fire department for 6 months. You will be issued a pager and be expected to respond to the fire hall when a call comes. After 6 months as a probationary firefighter you will become a regular member of the Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department.
As a member of the fire department you are expected to attend 66% of the practices that you are available for. This is so that you can maintain an acceptable level of skill when operating on the fire ground.
In September of 2014 the Office of the Fire Commissioner released the Playbook of Firefighter standards for British Columbia. All new members will be expected to train to the Exterior Firefighter level. This training is delivered by our own members.
As you progress in the fire department there will be many other training opportunities. You may wish to train as an Emergency Medical Assistant , First Responder or become an Apparatus Driver/ Pump Operator. It is up to you at which level you participate but the more you put into the fire department the more you will get out of it.
There are many opportunities in the fire department. Not everybody may feel they can become a front line firefighter but there still many things you can do to help us. Your help may allow another firefighter to take on a bigger task at an emergency scene.
Contact any Fire Chief for additional information or come by Hall 1, Madeira Park during office hours Tuesday and Thursday.