Volunteer Reserve Firefighter

The City of Canyon Lake is seeking qualified men and women for the position of Volunteer Reserve Firefighter. The City is funded for up to 15 positions and has a continuous filing period.

Volunteer Reserve Firefighters receive a $100.00 stipend for each completed 24-hour shift. This stipend is intended to offset expenses associated with training, response availability, and shift participation.

Under general supervision, the Volunteer Reserve Firefighter performs a full range of firefighting duties to include the control and suppression of various types of fires, rescues persons from buildings, traffic accidents, and hazardous situations; provides advance life support services; participates in fire training, community risk reduction, and community engagement activities; performs fire station, equipment, and apparatus maintenance; extricates trapped individuals from motor vehicles;

and performs other related duties as required.

Volunteer Reserve Firefighters are the fourth person on an engine providing supplemental staffing and can’t be used to replace full-time personnel.

The Volunteer Reserve Firefighter is a volunteer classification within the Fire Department responsible for performing a variety of duties and responsibilities in support of the Fire Department’s fire suppression, emergency medical, and community risk reduction mission. This classification is distinguished from the higher classifications in those higher classifications, such as Firefighter/Paramedic, Fire Engineer/Paramedic and Fire Captain/Paramedic, are responsible for operating and maintaining a variety of fire equipment and apparatuses and perform supervisory duties.

Volunteer Reserve Firefighters work as part of a firefighting unit under the direction of the Fire Chief or their designee and are expected to use sound judgement and discretion in handling routine and emergency situations.

• Responds to fire alarms, rescue alarms, medical emergencies, and other emergency calls, as the fourth person on an engine, to protect life and property; lays and connects hoses; holds nozzle and directs water streams in the control and extinguishing of fires in structures or other objects; uses forcible entry tools, bars, hooks, life-safety lines, ground ladders, chemical extinguishers, and other auxiliary equipment.
• Raises and climbs ladders up to 35 feet and may climb a 100 foot aerial ladder; ventilates structures using such techniques as opening windows and cutting or chopping holes through the roof; accomplishes rescue work; removes persons from danger which may include dragging up to 165 pounds up to 70 feet; accomplishes salvage operations such as placing or throwing salvage covers, sweeping water, and removing debris;
  
  completing all the above while wearing full firefighter personal protective equipment and breathing from a self-contained breathing apparatus.
• Responds to requests for medical emergencies, as the fourth person on an engine, to provide immediate care; observes and reports vital signs, cares for victims of accidents or illness; administers basic life treatment to injured or ill persons; provides emergency care at the scene; carrying heavy equipment such as trauma bags, drug boxes, monitors, and burn kits; moves patients from various locations to prepare from transportation.
• Works at least two 24-hour shifts per month and must attend at least four monthly training sessions annually. Volunteer Reserve Firefighters are also used to represent the Fire Department at many community events and community engagement activities.
• Performs daily inspections on fire apparatus and equipment; participates in routine daily housekeeping and maintenance of fire facilities; cleans, washes, and services fire apparatus; tests, washes, hangs, and dries hoses; changes hoses on fire apparatus; reports worn, damaged, or lost parts and tools.
• Studies technical material on modern firefighting techniques and water systems; maintaining medical continuing education by studying medical journals, literature, and case studies; accomplishes general maintenance work in the upkeep of the…