Volunteer Departments near Orange County

[markk224]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for volunteer fire departments near Orange County. I have some experience in firefighting and have completed a few firefighting courses in S.C. (where I formerly resided). I know Orange County Fire/Rescue takes volunteers/reserves but they require the person to be FF1 to participate. I unfortunately do not have FF1. I understand that Florida has regulations on who can enter a IDLH environment but are there any departments near Orange County or in the county that will provide this training free of charge or at least let you participate on the fire scene/ride apparatus while working to complete the classes.

The bottom line is I would like to volunteer with a fire department and be able to complete training to eventually earn FF1 or higher however I don't have alot of money to complete all of the classes out of pocket. I also need a fire department that is not too far from Orange County/Orlando.

I also might be interested in volunteering for a Rescue Squad/EMS squad but it would have to be a squad willing to let someone volunteer without extensive experience or training.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[CaptOldTimer]

They don't care where you have received training and certifications, unless it is in Florida.

[kjohn23]

Try Kissimmee Heights, Castleberry, if not it may be a little bit of a drive but I know Volusia County is still a combination department

[flashpo1nt]

Seminole and Orange are totally out of the question. There is Apopka, but you'll have to wait years before you get on.
Volusia: There is the county, however they are not accepting applications, I believe they are trying to phase them out. There is Edgewater, but you have to live in city limits. I think Deltona does it. Orange city does volunteers too.
Flagler: Almost every municipality in this county does volunteers. Flagler beach is a notable here.
Brevard: There is the county, and many municipalities. For the county, you must live in the county. I have someone I know that volunteers up there, but they live in Orlando. They just listed their grandparent's house as the address so that they can volunteer. Malabar is a good one.

There's lake and sumter also.

[markk224]

Try Kissimmee Heights, Castleberry, if not it may be a little bit of a drive but I know Volusia County is still a combination department

Thanks for the information. I'll try Kissimme Heights. They don't have a website so I guess my best bet is to give them a call. Casselberry is strictly paid only. I also looked at Volusia County, my girlfriend lives out there, the only issue is it's an hour. But it appears that there are no departments less that 30 miles from Orlando that are volunteer. The fact that the majority of departments in Florida are paid only is something new to me. I am from SC and pretty much all county departments are combination and many of the smaller city departments are also. The town I lived in had a paid only department but had about 5 local departments that were combination that were right outside the city limits and the county department was combination. I guess it is good that the cities/counties here in Florida have the funding to be paid only.

[e10pvmt]

Are you referring to Kissimmee Heights as in the Buenaventura Lakes neighborhood of Osceola County....if so it hasn't been volly since 2000 or so.....it is now station 62....as for volly dept near central FL, Volusia has been mentioned, check Polk county....i know Hillsborough has some volly stations left and i believe Temple Terrace takes volunteers but both the last 2 dept are west FL.....Its not that far a drive....i work for Osceola County and drive from Brandon just outside Tampa....and if i am not mistaken i believe in FL all volly have to have a min of FF1 before they can volunteer.....not 100% though

[markk224]

Seminole and Orange are totally out of the question. There is Apopka, but you'll have to wait years before you get on.
Volusia: There is the county, however they are not accepting applications, I believe they are trying to phase them out. There is Edgewater, but you have to live in city limits. I think Deltona does it. Orange city does volunteers too.
Flagler: Almost every municipality in this county does volunteers. Flagler beach is a notable here.
Brevard: There is the county, and many municipalities. For the county, you must live in the county. I have someone I know that volunteers up there, but they live in Orlando. They just listed their grandparent's house as the address so that they can volunteer. Malabar is a good one.

There's lake and sumter also.

Hello Flashpo1nt. Thanks for the information. I will look into some of the cities your mentioned. I'd prefer to stay away from Flagler, Brevard, Lake, and possibly Sumter county. That is kind of getting far out there. I don't want to end up joining a department that I have to drive 1.5 hours every day to complete the training for (as I will need to complete alot of training still). Volusia County, Orange City, or Deltona might be my best bet. I'll have to find out about Volusia County cutting back on their volunteers. I know I just read an article last week where more funding is being cut that usually goes to the fire department. I don't know if that means they will be looking for volunteer services more or less. Either way you provided alot of information and some possible leads. Thanks again.

[markk224]

Are you referring to Kissimmee Heights as in the Buenaventura Lakes neighborhood of Osceola County....if so it hasn't been volly since 2000 or so.....it is now station 62....as for volly dept near central FL, Volusia has been mentioned, check Polk county....i know Hillsborough has some volly stations left and i believe Temple Terrace takes volunteers but both the last 2 dept are west FL.....Its not that far a drive....i work for Osceola County and drive from Brandon just outside Tampa....and if i am not mistaken i believe in FL all volly have to have a min of FF1 before they can volunteer.....not 100% though

E10PVMT. Thanks for the information. I am not exactly sure if the Kissimmee Heights kjohn is referring to is voly or not. Polk County may also be too far. The problem actually isn't necessarily the difference as far as going there once or twice a week but the issue would be if I would need to be going to the station 3 or 4 times a week. I would def. need to complete training and any training provided would probably be provided at the local station. Getting off work in Orlando then driving 1.5 hours to training for 3 hours of training then driving another 1.5 hrs back home to prepare for work the next day- doing this 3 or 4 times a week will eventually begin to cost alot of time, energy, and money.

I think you do have to have FF1 before you can be a full fledged volunteer but I also see where a few departments will accept you and send you to the classes.

I'm thinking my best bet might be to try to find something in Volusia County as that's where my gf lives and there wouldn't be a problem with me staying with her while I'm working on the training. I will just have to see...but I do appreciate all the information and recommendations everyone is doing.

[e10pvmt]

What i was tryin to say is Kissimmee Heights is not a dept anymore. It used to be a volunteer dept but is now Osceola County Sta 62...good luck on your search

[BLSboy]

OCFRD has Reservists.

[charlie40720007]

OCFRD does have reserves but you have to be fully cert, and as for the staff reserve you have to be at least fire I. Polk Co. does take volunteers and they also put you through fire I. City of Davenport in Polk Co. also takes auxilliary and reserves.

[markk224]

OCFRD does have reserves but you have to be fully cert, and as for the staff reserve you have to be at least fire I. Polk Co. does take volunteers and they also put you through fire I. City of Davenport in Polk Co. also takes auxilliary and reserves.

Charlie is correct. I checked with OCFRD and they won't let you join as any level without at least Fire 1. I will look into Polk Co. and Davenport. I have to make sure that the department will take someone outside the county (unless it's Orange County). Many of the departments I am finding that take volunteers require you to be within the city or county limits. Thanks for the information.

[owenscott]

A couple of years ago volusia county laid off firefire fighters and were accepting app for volunteers. Tuff call if u wanna vol where some guy lost his job at.

[kjohn23]

Are you referring to Kissimmee Heights as in the Buenaventura Lakes neighborhood of Osceola County....if so it hasn't been volly since 2000 or so.....it is now station 62....

Sorry , that is the one I was referring to

[markk224]

Hello everyone,

Thanks to everyone who responded to my original post. You all provided some great information. I figured that I would post the information that I found out in case anyone is interested now or in the future. I plan to keep looking into available departments and ask that anyone who has more recommendations/information to feel free to post it. Here is what I found out-

Casselberry- Paid only
Kissimmee Heights- Osceola County now (no volunteers)
Osceola County- no volunteer program
Volusia County- has a volunteer program (still waiting on them to return my phone calls/e-mails- I'm guessing they are a little busy with the Iron Horse Fire)
Orange County- must have FF1/2/EMT
Seminole County- no volunteer program
Apopka- Must be FF1/EMT
Edgewater- not a city resident
Deltona- no volunteer program
Orange City- Must be certified
Flagler County- Too far
Brevard County- must live in county
Malabar- too far
Lake County- still getting information on
Sumter County- too far
Polk County- must live within 10 miles of a station
Hillsborough- too far
Temple Trace- too far
Cape Canaveral- have a program, waiting on them to return my call/email
Davenport- must reside in the city or be FF1/2/EMT
Clermont- still getting information on

At this time it appears my best bet is to try Volusia County or Cape Canaveral Volunteer Depts.

[Lucky2]

I think you do have to have FF1 before you can be a full fledged volunteer but I also see where a few departments will accept you and send you to the classes.

Good luck trying to get a volly dept to send you to classes. The market is so saturated with applicants around here that there are plenty of certified people more than willing to volunteer until they get on a paid dept. Could be wrong but I wouldn't be doing it if I were running a volly dept. Hope you find one that does though.

[BLSboy]

Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Indialantic all have volunteer programs as well.