Imagine it’s late afternoon and you’re nearing the end of your work day. You might be finishing up your last class at school, wrapping up the last of your chores at home, or doing that last task at your job. You’ve worked hard all day, and now it’s time to do something for yourself.

But you’re not headed for the couch and some TV—you’re proudly putting on your uniform, grabbing your gear, and heading to the fire house. For the next part of your day, you’re in the thick of the action as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT or EMS-only provider. You’re part of a close-knit team serving your community, and on any given day you may be called upon to put out a blazing fire, administer urgent care to an injured child, or be the confident provider whose presence reassures a frightened community during its time of need.

This is the satisfaction you can expect as an operational volunteer in one of Fairfax County’s 12 volunteer fire and rescue departments.

Operational volunteers are full partners with the career staff of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. They are trained to the same exacting standards and perform the same front-line roles as part of this world-class fire and rescue system. On any given day, volunteers might be found providing additional staffing on units staffed round-the-clock by career personnel; putting all-volunteer fire engines and medic units in service to help the community; participating in swift water rescue operations; serving as command officers in charge at emergency incidents; training the next generation of providers at the County’s Fire and Rescue Academy; deployed as members on Fairfax County’s international urban search and rescue team; or assisting in fire prevention. And these are just a few of the integral roles an operational volunteer can fulfill.

Being a volunteer Firefighter/EMT or EMS-only provider is both a challenging and rewarding position. While training classes are held at night and on weekends, volunteers are expected to serve a minimum of 240 hours per year, and many do over 1,000. They must attend introductory and ongoing refresher classes and be in excellent physical condition. And they must have the courage, pride, and integrity it takes to serve the community in a world-class fire and rescue system. (See requirements)

We welcome anyone who can imagine himself or herself as a volunteer to contact one of the volunteer departments for more information. The thought of volunteering can at the same time seem daunting, appealing, and unrealistic—and many long-time volunteers will tell you that they never imagined they would be a firefighter or EMT one day. All we can say is that every volunteer journey begins by taking the first step.