Dear Prospective Jacksonville Volunteer Member:

Jacksonville is one of the most respected fire companies in Baltimore County. We are known for excellence and professional demeanor in field operations as well as the station. We take pride in our outstanding reputation and strive to keep it that way by attending regular training and keeping up on current events. Every person at Jacksonville is expected to take this job seriously and we will expect nothing less from you.

There are a lot of requirements that our members are expected to carry out in order to maintain active status in good standing with the company. These will include regular meetings, training, details, and clean-ups. We also have requirements for riding the equipment which you will need to keep current. The company also holds regular tours and does fund-raising activities that we encourage everyone to help with when they are able. Basically what we are saying is that this community trusts that when they dial 911, willing and capable people are going to arrive. Jacksonville has always been able to keep this promise to them and we are not willing to have it any other way.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company, please read the remainder of the information on this page. We need volunteers, not only to perform emergency services, but also to perform the many administrative duties that are needed to run the company. Members are provided with all necessary training and equipment. For more information on the opportunities for volunteering, please see the information below.

Types of members:

• Administrative: Members perform various tasks such as bookkeeping and fundraising. Administrative Members are not required to pursue the emergency services training.
  
  
• Emergency Services: Members perform emergency services as well as fundraising and day-to-day cleaning/maintenance of the station and the equipment. Members can choose to pursue either firefighting training, medical training, or both.

Required Training:

Note: All training is provided at no cost to the members either in-house or through the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute (MFRI). Jacksonville falls within the area served by the MFRI North-East Region. Classes are scheduled on evenings and weekends to meet the needs of individuals with full-time employment. Other "crash courses" are offered over the summer months to work with the schedule of college students and other individuals. Accomodations are also available for individuals that have certifications from other jurisdictions.

The following classes are required to ride fire suppression equipment:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) & First Aid (6 hours, done in-house)
• Bloodborne Pathogens (3 hours, done in-house)
• Hazardous Materials Operations (24 hours, done through MFRI)
• Firefigher I (102 hours, done through MFRI)

The following classes are required to ride EMS equipment:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) & First Aid (6 hours, done in-house)
• Bloodborne Pathogens (3 hours, done in-house)
• Hazardous Materials Operations (24 hours, done through MFRI)
• Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B)(131 hours, done through MFRI)

This is not a complete list of classes that are available. Beyond the initial required training, the extent of training is up to the individual. Additional classes offered include:

• Aerial Apparatus Operator Truck Company Operations
• Aircraft Rescue Firefighting
• Basic Overview of Fire Suppression Systems
• Conducting Safe Live Fire Training Evolutions
• Emergency Medical Services Officer I
• Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I)
• Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P)
• Emergency Response To Terrorism
  
• Emergency Services Structural Collapse
  
• Emergency Vehicle Operator
  
• Engine Company Fireground Operations
  
• Fire Department Equal Opportunity Officer I, II
  
• Fire Department Safety Officer
  
• Fire Inspector I, II, III
  
• Fire Investigator
  
• Fire Officer I, II, III, IV
  
• Fire Police Orientation
  
• Firefighter I, II
  
• First Responder Basic
  
• Hazardous Materials Technician
  
• HazMat On-Scene Incident Commander
  
• Instructor I, II, III
  
• Leadership I, II, III
  
• Plans Examiner I, II
  
• Principles of Building Construction
  
• Pump Operator
  
• Rescue Technician - Confined Space Rescue
  
• Rescue Technician - Swiftwater Rescue
  
• Rescue Technician - Structural Collapse
  
• Rescue Technician - Site Operations And Vehicle And Machinery Rescue
  
• Rescue Technician - Technical Rope Rescue
  
• Rescue Technician - Trench Rescue
• Shipboard Firefighting
• Strategy And Tactics For Initial Company Operations
• Traffic Incident Management
• Truck Company Fireground Operations
• WMD Awareness

For a full listing of courses being offered in the MFRI North-East Region, click here.

Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP):

LOSAP is a program developed by the State of Maryland to provide retirement benefits to volunteers after twenty-five years of active service and meeting the age requirement. LOSAP is also used on an annual basis to provide a tax incentive program. LOSAP points are earned for all activities conducted for the fire company by the volunteer. Members that earn a minimum amount of LOSAP points in a calendar year are eligible to receive a $3,500 tax deduction on their State income taxes in addition to deductions for mileage, clothing, and equipment purchased by the member.

It is highly recommended that you visit our firehouse prior to submitting the application. This visit will help you decide if your future goals match what we offer at JVFC. We also offer a ride-along program that allows non-members to go on calls with us and see what it is really like.

Application Process

If this all sounds like something that you are prepared to embark upon, please follow the link below to print the application form. The completed application form may be dropped off at the station or mailed to us.

Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company - Application for Membership

The process takes approximately one month. Upon receipt of your application, an interview will be scheduled with you, the Membership Committee, and the President or Chief. This is a good time for you to ask specific questions about our firehouse and our policies and procedures. A $100 application fee will also be due at the interview. After your interview is complete and a background check and drug testing have been performed, the Board of Directors will evaluate your application at their monthly meeting, held on the first Monday of every month.

Jacksonville would like to thank you for your interest in our company and wish you the best of luck. Hopefully within the next few months you too can be a proud member of this fire company and part of the family. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the station at (410) 887-7780 or via membership@jvfc.com.

Steve Mueller
Membership Committee Chairman