Wake Forest Fire Department
Volunteer Handbook
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Wake Forest Fire Department
Volunteer Handbook
February 1, 2011
Preface
Use and Interpretation of this Handbook:
A primary objective of the Wake Forest Fire Department is to assist its Volunteer members to perform to their greatest potential. The better your understanding of the organization and your individual role, the more we will continue to be an effective provider of emergency services.
Your Wake Forest Fire Department Volunteer Handbook is written to assist you in understanding how our Department operates. I encourage each of you to become familiar with the information and guidelines that are addressed in the following pages. This information serves as a guideline in making the day-to-day decisions about operations. Should you have questions that cannot be answered by referencing this manual, contact your Captain or the Fire Chief for additional information.
As you read the Wake Forest Fire Department Volunteer Handbook, remember that Volunteer members such as you are the Department's greatest resource. Safety and effective service to our community begins with each of us.
Mission
We are committed to providing fire prevention education, fire suppression, medical services, and other emergency and non-emergency activities to the surrounding community, visitors, and residents of the Town of Wake Forest. We accomplish this mission through education, training, and dedication to the protection of our membership and citizens
Vision Statement
The Wake Forest Fire Department will set the standard of excellence by honoring tradition, professionalism, and customer service; we will also create leaders through education, training, and strong ethical values.
Core Values
Duty
Duty compels us to do the right thing at the right time, regardless of adverse consequences. It is the precursor of discipline and obedience. Duty requires that we accept responsibility for our actions.
Pride
We take pride in ourselves as individuals, our members as a team, our department as a family, and our citizens as a community.
Family
We are a fire department family. We are committed and accountable to each other because our lives depend on it. We value each member in our organization. We respect those who came before us and will strive to make the organization better for those who follow.
Courage
Courage is the value that gives us the moral and mental strength to do what is right even in the face of personal or professional adversity.
Professionalism
We are dedicated to serving at the highest level of excellence, in a manner showing commitment and respect to our mission. A commitment to excellence, possessing a positive attitude and having pride in your work while conforming to a high standard of conduct.
Honor
The enormous commitment necessary to perform the Department's tasks requires excellence of character. We inspire each other through pride in our department, both past and present.
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Integrity
We are committed to honesty and ethical behavior and we will make decisions based on moral standards regardless of personal belief or benefit. We will work hard every day to maintain the highest professional standards and to earn the public trust through our actions
Strategic Goals ( Full description can be found in the Strategic Plan)
1. Community Relations
2. Promote Employee Health and Safety
3. Volunteer Program
4. Facility Management
5. Apparatus and Equipment Management
6. Communications
7. Develop our Leaders and Employees
8. Fiscal Responsibility
9. Effective and Efficient Use of Our Resources
Table of Contents
History………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Member’s Responsibility to Use Good Judgment ….……………………………………………. 9
Membership Guidelines……………………………………………………………………………. 9
Harmonization of All Rules, Policies and Guidelines…………………………………………… 11
Standard Operating Guidelines……….…………………………………………………………. 11
Emergency Suspension of Rules, Policies and Guidelines.……..………………………………. 11
Smoking and Tobacco Use………………………………………………………………………… 12
WFFD Safety Policy………….……….…………………………………………………………… 12
Organization Chart ………………………………………………………………………………. 12
Chain of Command……………………………….….…………………………………………… 13
Command Structure………………………………………………………………………………. 13
Orders by Supervisors…………..…….…………………………………………………………… 13
Equal Employment and Service Opportunity…………………………………………………… 13
Harassment and Discrimination Prohibited……………………………………………………… 14
Sexual harassment Prohibited…………………………………………………………………… 14
Non-Discrimination Against and Accommodation of Individuals with Disabilities…………… 14
Workplace Anti-Violence Policy……………………………………………………………….… 14
Confidentiality of Protected Health Information………………………………………………… 14
Personnel Records………………………………………………………………………………… 15
Member Conduct………………………………………………………………………………….. 15
Drug and Alcohol Policy…………………………………………………………………………… 16
Determination of Ability to Return Active Duty…………………………………………………. 16
Valid Driver’s License…………………………………………………………………………… 17
Volunteer Work Hours……………………………………………………………………………. 17
Duty Crew Overview………………………………………………………………………...... 17
Filling in for Paid Staff Vacancies………………………………………………………………… 19
Inclement Weather…………………………………………………………………………………. 19
Holidays…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
Apparatus Care…………………………………………………………………………….………. 20
Station Maintenance……………………………………………………………………………… 20
Bunkroom Guidelines……………………………………………………………………………… 20
Washing of Personally Owned Vehicles …………..………………...……………………………. 20
Use of Department Property……………………………………………………………………… 20
Personal Privacy…………………………………………………………………………………… 21
Personal Telephones Calls………………………………………………………………………… 21
Computer Use……………………………………………………………………………………… 21
Physical Training………………………………………………………………………………..… 21
Medical Physicals…………………………………………………………………………….…….. 21
Uniforms……………………………………………………………………………………….….… 21
Initial uniform Allotment……………………………………………………………………….…. 22
Full Member Uniform Allotment…………………………………………………………………. 22
Class A Uniform……………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Class B Uniform……………………………………………………………………………………. 23
Class C Uniform……………………………………………………………………………………. 23
Work / Station Uniform……………………………………………………………………………. 23
Personal Appearance………………………………………………………………………………. 24
Facial Hair………………………………………………………………………………………… 24
Hair Length…………………………………………………………………………………………. 24
Jewelry………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24
Turnout Gear……………………………………………………………………………………… 24
Helmet Colors………………………………………………………………………………………. 25
Resignation and Termination……………….…………………………………………………… 25
Training……………………..………………………………………………………………………. 26
POV Response……………………………………………………………………………………… 26
Department ID …………………………………………………………………………………… 27
Pat Tags for Accountability……………………………………………………………………… 27
Benefits……………………………………………………………………………………………… 28
Insurance……………………………………………………………………………………...... 28
Retention of Firefighter Certificate………………………………………………………………. 28
Entrance Examination Points…………………………………………………………………….. 28
Leave of Absence…………………………………………………………………………………… 28
Probation Members……………………………………………………………………………….. 29
Probation Period…………………………………………………………………………………… 29
General Rules…………………………………………………………………...…………………. 31
Personal Equipment………………………………………………………………………………. 31
Overview of Classes Required for Probation……………………………………………………. 32
Explorer/Junior Program………………………………………………………………………… 32
Member Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………… 36
Wake Forest Fire Department History
The Town of Wake Forest’s fire protection service was founded in 1921 and was first organized by Thomas Arrington, Sr., who served as the department’s fire chief. The original department was founded as a community fire brigade to provide fire protection services to areas of the town and the Wake Forest College. As the town and the community grew, the fire department quarters was relocated to the old town hall building. It was housed there until 1973 when the need arose to relocate to renovated quarters at 59 South White Street.
The Wakette Fire Protection District was founded in 1956 with Willis Winston, as its first fire chief. The Wakette organization was charged with providing fire protection services to unincorporated areas outside of the Town of Wake Forest. Equipment for the Wakette District was housed in the basement of the old town hall until it was moved to a new firehouse, constructed in 1966, at the intersection of South White Street and Elm Avenue.
These two departments existed side-by-side utilizing the same personnel but separate equipment. In 1983, with assistance from Sherman Pickard of the North Carolina Institute of Government, these two organizations were merged together to form the Wake Forest Fire Department, Inc. The merger was the first of its kind in North Carolina where a municipality contracted its fire protection to another agency. In 1986, a new firehouse was constructed at 420 East Elm Street to meet the housing demands for both of the organizations apparatus and equipment.
In 1993, the Board of Directors recognized that the explosive growth in the area was taxing the volunteer’s ability to handle the increasing incident volume. The Board of Directors then deemed it necessary to create (3) full-time staff positions to guarantee the response of a fire unit to meet the fire and medical needs of the Wake Forest Fire District.
In 2000, the Wake Forest Fire Department was charged with providing emergency medical first responder services within the Wake Forest Fire District. This addition of services would aid the Wake County Emergency Medical Service’s with their efforts to reduce response times to emergency medical incidents within the Wake County area.
Today, the Wake Forest Fire Department is a progressively minded combination fire department serving the Town of Wake Forest and the surrounding unincorporated Wakette Rural district. We provide fire protection, emergency medical and rescue services, as well as an enthusiastic and dynamic public education program for the community. We operate currently out of three stations. We have 51 paid personnel 24/7, and 28 volunteers supplementing the paid staff in answering approximately 2800 incidents (including mutual aid calls) 66% of which are emergency medical related. Our response area is a mix of residential, commercial and rural/agricultural. There are 16 schools in our area including private and public; as well as Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (the former Wake Forest College), which has a current enrollment of over 2300 students.
Falls Fire Department History
The land for the community center was donated to the Falls Community in November 1954 by Erwin Cotton Mills. In 1969 The Falls Club, with the advisement of then county commissioner Hal Trentman, took on the organization of the fire department as their project.
The first piece of apparatus that was purchased was a 2 ½ ton converted army truck with a 1400 gallon water tank. Revenues from charging the district patrons $10 to join the Falls Fire District Inc., fundraisers, and donations were used to purchase the vehicle from Durham Highway Fire Department for $500. The next piece of apparatus that was purchased was a 1956 Ford American pumper with a front mounted pump. The vehicle was bought from Six Forks Fire Department for $2,500 of which the Ladies Auxiliary paid most of the cost from money made from barbecue’s and craft shows. The first Fire Chief was the late Sam Perry. The department had 24 members at the time.
The department asked the Community Club for permission to build two new bays that would be attached to the community center. Permission was granted and the department began construction. Most of the construction was done by members of the department and was finished by contracted builders. Two years later the department added two more bays. Equipment was purchased as money came available while neighboring departments donated hose, nozzles, etc.
Captain Jimmy Warren of the Raleigh Fire Department came out once a week and taught basic fire fighting to the members. At the time, only one member had any prior fire training. In the early years of the department several members would go yearly to Wilson Technical Community College for a weekend long class to get their training.
Since hydrants were 8 to 10 miles away, it became apparent that if there was a large fire more water was needed. The department purchased a used oil truck from one of the local oil distributors. This unit was used as a second tanker. All three vehicles were parked in the two bay building until the other two bays were added.
On July 7, 1970 the County Commissioners recognized Falls Volunteer Fire Department Inc. as a county department. A Falls Fire District referendum was held and the district residents were asked to vote on getting a 10 cent on the $100 dollar valuation of taxed property to support the department. The referendum passed by a vote of 42 for and 2 against. The first full year of tax revenues was $3,060.
Some of the early apparatus that Falls Fire Department had were; a 1973 Chevrolet tanker with 1,200 gallon capacity, a 1979 FMC/Beam pumper with a 750 gallon tank and a 750 gallon per minute pump, a 1984 Chevy Custom Deluxe 30 brush truck, and a used 1984 Suburban.
In 1974 the department bought its first new fire truck chassis and the tank from the oil tanker was mounted on the back of it. The tank was modified for a quick dump system to become our first new truck.
In 1977 with increased tax revenues, fund-raisers, donations, and a loan from FHA, the department purchased its first completely new truck, a 750 gallon pumper.
In 1984 the department decided to go to First Responder. The decision was made because of the slow responses of EMS units that were responding from Raleigh, Six Forks or Wake Forest. Linwood E. Barham, an early member, taught the First Responder class twice weekly. The first females joined the fire department as a result of the First Responder program.
In the 1980s the call volume was increasing so it was decided to hire a day shift in lieu of buying the land across the street for a new station. The department was not receiving enough revenues from the district tax base at the time to do both.
The name “River Rats” was used by Falls Community members when they played baseball against Stony Hill Community members, the "Possums”. The community members took the name from a group of local young men in the community that called themselves “The River Rats”.
Member’s Responsibility to Use Good Judgment
An effort has been made to have this handbook cover, either in a specific or general way, as many of the responsibilities, obligations, duties and general conduct of WFFD members as possible. Whenever a rule, policy or guidelines applies, it must be followed; however, there will be times when there is no rule, policy or procedure directly covering a situation encountered by a member. When there is no rule, policy or procedure to guide the member’s conduct, the member shall inquire of his or her supervisor regarding how to proceed, if time permits. If time does not permit asking his or her supervisor, the member shall use good judgment (i.e., “do what is right, and do it the right way”).
Membership Guidelines:
The volunteer officers must first screen each person who wishes to become a member of WFFD as a volunteer Firefighter. Applications must be submitted to the appropriate Volunteer Officer and administrative offices for review and accuracy. Final approval will be by the Chief of the Department. Requirements to become an active member are listed below;
1. At least 18 years old.
2. Have a high school diploma, or GED equivalent, or be a high school student in good standing.
3. Be of good moral character.
4. Be subject to being certified by a physician as being physically fit to perform the duties of a Firefighter, as listed on the Medical Evaluation Form.
5. Not have facial hair that will interfere with the safe operation of self-contained breathing apparatus.
6. Must maintain current automotive liability insurance.
7. Reside within 1 mile of Wakette Fire District to respond to calls.
8. Applicants must pass background check.
9. Complete the training requirements of NFPA 1403 and check off procedure prior to receiving the classification status of interior Firefighter.
10. It is expected for volunteers to provide 24 hours of duty crew time per month. This is voluntarily assigned and you may sign up for any combination of hours to obtain your minimum hours (minimum twelve-hour shifts) or a combination of call responses.