Discussions

Hi folks,  
My goal is to join a volunteer fire department that is not far from Brandon. I live in Brandon but have gotten the notion that I must live within their municipality to be accepted. I checked with Brandon Fire but they do not take volunteers. Is there ANY possible way to be a volunteer firefighter and live in Brandon? Please help! I have firefighting experience and have trained with ICS system and have worked with various types of crews.

I think you have to be within the municipality so if a call comes in your close, and not 15 minutes through Brandon, plus 15-30 minutes on the highway... I'd try calling each municipality separately and ask who to talk to, certain ones may have different rules, or if there short may allow you on... But you won't know these unless you call everyone directly.

I'm assuming you also work in Brandon, but have looked at moving to the town that you want to join their department and driving into work daily. I pretty sure all volunteer fire departments require that you live with in a certain radius of the fire hall/town, but I don't think they have any rules when it comes to how far away you work. I know of a few guys who live in small towns around Brandon who are volunteer firefighters and work in Brandon. That might be your only choice.  
 
 
 
Edited by The_Young_Man, 2016-03-25 22:37:24

calling the RM of Whitehead Office. Located in Alexander, MB. Approximately 30min West of Brandon, MB.

...that's what it'll come down to.  
If you have NFPA 1500, you're good to go.  
BUT, I believe you're right about having to live in their Community.  
Aside from the obvious (you're not "invested" in the place), there's the issue of Insurance/Liability.  
We have blanket coverage on-rez but I believe it's different for the non-rez peeps.  
 
If you aren't certified then I just don't see why they'll invest in some random eBrandoner over one of "their own".  
*All Volunteers require NFPA 1500 aka Level 1 and to be insured.*  
 
*unless things changed again...been a while for me.

To add to my original post, have you considered looking for a job in the small community the volunteer fire department you want to join is in?  
 
Also in the first sentence of my first post there's suppose to be a *you* between the have and look.

don't get certified in NFPA 1500 as that a department standard for occupational safety....you do however get certified in NFPA 1001 (lvl 1 & 2) and many other NFPA numbers.  
Your best bet is to contact Alexander as they come almost into Brandon (they were the dept. at the trailer fires outside of Brandon a few years back) & I have been passed by a few of their members on the #1 responding to calls. They are a fairly proactive dept. and the downfall to living in Brandon is they may require a certain amount of regular training night attendance. You will also miss out on some of the other fun stuff that happens with (some) departments that just happen on a whim because you are so far away.  
As for the training (1001 and everything else), many depts. do not require this to join but may want you to have it within 1 yr of joining. They may not require it at all. All training for Mb FF's is free through MESC, so once you join you have access to a lot of fun courses (as long as your chief signs off on you going). There is no harm in calling around and seeing what's up. We have a guy that lives 15mins outside of our dept. and while he never gets to ride on the trucks to the calls, when he makes it there he is still an extra set of hands on the grounds. And his training is free so it doesn't really cost us anything to put into him. Late hands on the ground is better then no hands on the ground!

Looking into moving to nearby municipalities but I rent a great apartment in Brandon that I really don't want to give up. Alexander whitehead required me to live there. And I dont want to move unless i can find a decent rental. Also I work in trades and do not want to give up my job which the office and shop is in Brandon. I think that access to these courses is a good incentive as well. Also anybody know if RM of Cornwallis has volunteer FD? They are closer and may consider me from Brandon  
 
 
 
Edited by Jimmbo, 2016-03-26 12:03:13

Hey! I would call Wawanesa or Rm of Oakland they have a volunteer department and are always looking for more volunteers to train. Brandon might be close enough. Good luck!

Fire protection for the RM of Cornwallis is provided by the Brandon fire department and CFB Shilo fire department and both are career departments.

How about Douglas? Do they have a volunteer FD?  

Douglas doesn't have have fire department. They rely on the Shilo fire department.

Working on it, lol.