The Southern Platte Fire Protection District is a combination department, in which we employ both career and volunteer personnel.
Volunteer Employment
If you are you looking for a challenge, a chance to see your hard work rewarded? Become a Southern Platte Fire Protection District volunteer firefighter.
Throughout the year, we recruit probationer firefighters (we call them "probies"). The District presently has two different type of volunteer programs; one a career based system and one a community based system. Upon hiring, probies become operational firefighters, working alongside other volunteer and career personnel.
The community based system is assigned to the Volunteer Division and the employee has a more intrinsic goal of helping out his community. As a Volunteer Division firefighter, you're only required to serve 12 hours per month of duty time, scheduled how you wish and complete monthly required competency-based training. The Division meets every Monday evening for training. Additional training can be completed with the career firefighters each day, if requested. Because of the scope of required firefighting knowledge and the complexity of our emergency operations, you're encouraged to participate as much as possible to ensure proficiency.
A career path volunteer is assigned to the Operation Division and usually has the goal of being hired as a career firefighter with Southern Platte or with another agency. Duty time is scheduled with any of the three shifts, in increments that best meet your needs. During the shift work, you will be able to complete your monthly required competency-based training with the career firefighters, along with additional training. If you are unable to finish your required training you have the option to attend and complete the training with the Volunteer Division, which meets every Monday. This option allows individuals to get a “real feel” for the profession in order to see if this is the career path that interests you.
All volunteers must have Firefighter I & II certifications, along with their Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations Certifications, and CPAT Certificate, prior to hiring with Southern Platte Fire Protection District. A current Emergency Medical Technician certificate is encouraged, but not required.
For more information about becoming a volunteer, call 741-2900.
Career Employment
Presently, the District employees 39 full-time career firefighters. Those firefighters are assigned to one of three shifts.
Examples are, each day Pumper 23's crew includes three firefighters and one captain or crew supervisor. Pumper 24 operates with two firefighters and a captain. Pumper 21’s crew operates with two firefighters and a captain. Volunteer personnel supplement career crews, as those individuals are available.
A firefighter's shift is 24 hours long -- he eats, sleeps, exercises, trains, performs inspections, and maintains district equipment when he's not responding to emergencies. After a 24-hour shift, the firefighter gets a 24-hours off. After the third day on duty, that firefighter's "tour" ends, and he gets a 96-hours off.
Each firefighter literally lives at Station One, Three or Four for a third of the month.
Minimum requirements to be hired as a Southern Platte career employee include current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician, Missouri Firefighter I & II Certification, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, and CPAT Certificate
For more information about becoming a Southern Platte career firefighter, call 741-2900.