ELIGIBILITY
New Canaan Fire Company, No. 1 accepts volunteer applications throughout the year. Men and women must be between the ages of 18 and 55, and hold a valid Connecticut driver’s license. A volunteer must reside in New Canaan OR reside in Connecticut and live within 5 miles of a New Canaan border.
THE NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS
New Canaan is fortunate to have a “combination” fire department, comprised of both paid and volunteer firefighters. This structure enables the town to economically deliver high quality fire protection to all of those who live, work or travel through New Canaan. The department relies heavily on volunteers, and it is vital that there is a sufficient pool of volunteers available to respond to the various calls for help.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Volunteers carry pagers, giving them the freedom to go about their regular activities even when on call. Additionally, there is a business meeting each month, and approximately 18 training drills each year.
No training is required in order to sign up as a volunteer. After new recruits join the Company, they participate in training drills covering basic firefighting skills. During their probationary period, volunteers must complete the State of Connecticut Fire Fighter I course. After Fire Fighter I certification, training continues each month to keep skills current.
HOW TO SIGN UP
If interested in volunteering to be a New Canaan firefighter,you can email recruits@newcanaanfire.com, and provide your name, your telephone number and a convenient time for a department representative to contact you.
If you would like to print out a copy of the volunteer application form, click on the icon below. You will need Adobe Reader to open this PDF file.
Click Here to Download Application
Once you have completed the application, please email to recruits@newcanaanfire.com or send by mail to the below address:
New Canaan Fire Company No. 1
P.O. Box 963
New Canaan, CT 06840
FAQs about becoming a Volunteer Firefighter
1. I am thinking of joining as a volunteer firefighter at the fire department. What is expected of me from a time commitment?
To start, you will need to attend the monthly business meeting of the fire company so that you know what is going on. You will also need to attend and participate in company drills to keep your skills up. These events are in the evenings of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Thursday of each month.
2. When do I start going on fire calls?
You will start out as a fresh probationary member. Untrained, but raring to go. Your training will start with probationary drills led by the Lieutenants. There will be two of these per month on Monday or Tuesday evenings. There are ten in total, and they will provide you with the initial training that you need to participate in water supply for a structure fire, motor vehicle accidents, and other calls that are not structure fires. During your probationary period you will report to the firehouse for calls. You will begin reporting directly to the scene for calls after you complete the appropriate probationary training, and are approved to do so by your Lieutenant. You will also be assigned to a Platoon and will need to report for every call during one night per week. For your Platoon night you may respond from home, or stay in the volunteer bunk room. For safety reasons, you will not be responding to the scene of a structure fire until you are certified as an Interior Structural Firefighter. This certification is gained through the successful completion of the Firefighter I state program, a 180 hour practical and classroom training course. You will generally be sponsored for this course after you have completed 6 months of probationary training with the company.
3. Now, after I have earned the Fire Fighter I certification and am ready to go, is there anything else that I need to think about?
Yes, now you will be called to fire calls at anytime, day or night. You will carry a pager during the day, and you will have it when you sleep. There is no getting away from it. If you have a family, there is no way for them to not be effected as well. They will probably listen to every page, and upon your return, meet you at the door to hear what happened. On the other hand, every time you have to leave a birthday party, dinner, of jump out of bed in the middle of the night, they will also be effected. This is something that you should discuss with your family so that everyone knows what is expected of you. This may not be easy, but if you come home and your family is in front of the scanner listening to the call, you are probably all set. Talk with your family before you make the commitment. It is much easier on you and them if everyone supports your decision.
