Community Service
At Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, our primary mission is the protection of lives
and property. We recognize that our agency is funded through tax dollars, and
that each one of us — volunteer or paid — is accountable to the public. So,
achieving our mission involves more than fire prevention and public education,
firefighting and emergency medical operations; it requires a deep commitment to
community service.
Benefits and Rewards
Every day, our members are involved in activities that make a difference in
peoples' lives. Whether their actions include teaching children about fire
safety, fighting fires, performing CPR, or supporting teams who provide those
functions — fire department personnel gain great satisfaction from their work.
There are other benefits to service. Members receive training and continuing
education, and active members participate in a retirement and savings
program. And, while many volunteers are motivated only by their interest in
serving the community, some members view their participation as a foundation
for a fire service career. Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue has produced numerous
career members from the ranks of our volunteers.
Commitment
Fire department membership, while exciting and rewarding, requires a
significant commitment from the volunteer and his/her family. Driven by our
department's emphasis on firefighter safety and quality service, many hours of
initial training are required before a member can respond to calls. Once
qualified, volunteers are expected to maintain their qualifications by
attending training and answering alarms on a regular basis.
Training Requirements
| Position | Initial Training | On-Going Training |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter | 110 hours | At least 8 hours per month |
| EMT | 114 hours | At least 3 hours per month |
How to Become a Volunteer Firefighter
Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue Volunteer Firefighter program
allows the citizens within our district boundaries to participate in the fire
service and assist their community at the same time. Filling out an inquiry card
identifying your areas of interest
is all it takes to get started and it can be obtained from Station 41 (7600
Old Military Rd NE, Bremerton) or Station 51 (10955 Silverdale Way NW,
Silverdale) or the Administration Building (5300 NW Newberry Hill Road, Suite 101,
Silverdale). Inquiry cards are then held on file until the next available
Recruit Academy. Typically, Recruit Academies are held twice each year, in
April and September. The District Training Officer will host an orientation
meeting prior to the academy to discuss time commitments, schedules and answer
any questions.
Candidates will then be notified of the date, time, and location of both a written and physical ability entrance examinations. The written test is a general knowledge exam designed to measure an applicant's math and reading comprehension skills as well as mechanical aptitude. The physical ability test evaluates the candidate's strength and stamina for the tasks a firefighter is required to perform. Click here to read more about volunteer firefighter testing.
Candidates that pass both the written and physical ability exams will then be scheduled to attend a 110-hour Recruit Academy. The academy is held on Tuesday and Thursday nights and all day Saturday and Sunday for approximately 7 weeks. Students will be taught the basics of firefighting and a basic medical first aid class.
Upon completion of the academy, new members will be assigned to a fire station closest to their residence and will start attending drills on Wednesday nights. They will be contacted when an incident happens in their assigned area and to respond to their station.
If you would like more information on volunteering, please contact our Training Officer:
or send a letter with your name, address, and phone number so that we can notify you of our next orientation meeting. Send your information to: