Membership Applications:
The Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. was established in 1947 by a group committed to serving the community; the names and faces have come and gone through the years but the commitment to serve has stayed. The department is a part of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, a combination department of career, volunteer and contingent personnel all committed to community service and excellence in the fire service. The Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department is dedicated to the combination fire service of Howard County and making it a fully integrated global model as outlined in the Counties Overall Fire and Rescue Strategic Plan.
We are always looking for dedicated individuals to serve in the department in a variety of capacities. We are looking for Emergency Responders for Fire Suppression/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services and Underwater Rescue and Recovery/Public Safety Diver (PSD), as well as Administrative Members, to keep the organization running with precision. If you think you have what it takes to serve the community in any of these capacities please contact the station and speak with a member of the Membership Committee or other personnel.
Volunteer Firefighter/EMT
JOB SUMMARY:
A Volunteer Firefighter participates on fire suppression activities including firefighting,
rescue, EMS, ventilation, forcible entry, salvage and overhaul, and pre-plan fire
inspections. He/she will also be responsible for performing fire prevention education.
DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES:
The duties and responsibilities described below are indicative of what the Volunteer Firefighter may be asked to perform; other duties may be assigned.
- Directs fire streams and extinguishes fires in a variety of situations including residential occupancies, commercial building, vehicle fires, and grass fires.
- Rescues victims from occupancies filled with heat, smoke, and toxic gases by entering occupancy and physically removing victims.
- Frees victims trapped in automobile accidents, truck accidents, airplane crashes, etc. using a variety of extrication tools.
- Advances fire hose lines up stairways, ladders, and fire escapes to extinguish fires in upper levels.
- Opens by force all types of doors and windows to gain entrance to areas involved in fire, using numerous manual and mechanical entry tools.
- Removes fire hose lines from fire apparatus and assists fire apparatus driver in Fire Department pumper connections.
- Removes fire debris after fire is extinguished to locate hidden fires and prevent rekindle.
Non-Emergency Duties:
- Assists in cleaning and maintaining apparatus quarters, building, equipment, grounds, and other related work as required.
- Pre-plans fires in occupancies to record information pertaining to the location of fire hydrants, exposure hazards, life hazards, etc.
- Provides fire prevention and public fire safety education programs as necessary.
- Demonstrates firefighting tools, equipment, and emergency medical equipment in quarters to groups visiting stations when assigned.
PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by a volunteer to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
A volunteer must regularly be required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear, use hands to finger, handle or feel. Also regularly must be able to bend, stoop, twist, and reach with hands and arms.
- A volunteer may be asked on a regular basis to lift 50 pounds.
- Vision requirements are close, distance and color vision, peripheral and depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
- Volunteers may be expected to perform duties outdoors in all types of weather on emergency scenes.
- At emergency scenes the volunteer may be required to lift persons and objects in excess of 100 lbs.
- Volunteers at emergency scenes will be required to work at excessive heights via use of ladders or lifting devices and will be exposed to excessive heat, cold, wet and hazardous situations.
Public Safety Diver (PSD)-Underwater Rescue and Recovery
JOB SUMMARY:
A Volunteer Public Safety Diver/Tender participates in Public Safety Diving activities including search, rescue and recovery diving, and surface ice rescue. He/she will also be responsible for performing water safety education.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The duties and responsibilities described below are indicative of what the Volunteer Public Safety Diver/Tender may be asked to perform; other duties may be assigned as required by Department leadership.
Tender Duties:
- Conduct dive site/scene size-up to include scene safety, locating and interviewing witnesses, Mode determination (Rescue or Recovery) and to establish a search area.
- Establish the dive site and control access.
- Assist divers in gearing-up for dive operations and ensuring they are properly equipped for diving prior to water entry.
- Control dive patterns and monitor divers for air consumption, dive time, and diver’s mental and physical state.
- Complete a written profile of each dive.
- Assist divers out of the water, with gear removal and movement to the established rehabilitation area.
- Conduct surface ice rescue.
- As directed by the Department, participates in incident response for all government responses, including fire, police, local, state, and federal agencies.
Diver Duties:
- Conducts underwater searches to locate and recover bodies, vehicles and evidence (to facilitate investigation by law enforcement agencies).
- Conduct Tender duties if assigned in that capacity.
- As directed by the Department, participates in incident response for all government responses, including fire, police, local, state, and federal agencies.
Non-Emergency Duties:
- Provide diving services to assist in the inspection and maintenance of rural water sources throughout Howard County as required.
- Assists in cleaning and maintaining apparatus, building, equipment, grounds and other related work as required.
- Provides Water Safety and Public Safety Diving public education programs as necessary/assigned.
- Demonstrates Public Safety Diving equipment in quarters to groups visiting the station when assigned.
- Maintain an adequate level of training, to include maintaining appropriate certifications and currency, and participation as determined appropriate by Department leadership.
PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by a volunteer to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- A volunteer must regularly be required to stand, walk, sit, talk, see, hear, and use hands to finger, handle or feel. Also regularly must be able to bend, stoop, twist, and reach with hands and arms.
- A volunteer may be asked on a regular basis to lift 50 pounds.
- Volunteers may be expected to perform duties outdoors in all types of weather on emergency scenes.
- Volunteers may be expected to perform duties on surface ice.
- Diver Volunteers may be expected to perform diving duties (commensurate with their level of certification and training) in water of limited or zero visibility, underneath the surface ice, in contaminated and/or low-temperature water, and in areas of possible underwater entanglement.