Requirements for Completing Probation

[ProPyro1]

What are some of the requirements for completing probationary status in your departments? A vollie dept. I ran with many years ago in another state was ran very similar to a Marine boot camp. We had one heck of a Dept. and very strict training requirements. Now fast forward to the present. Two people walked into our station a couple months ago, were issued gear that night and I saw one of them on the truck a week or so later...no prior firefighting experience. I have been trying to pressure the Chief into placing some type of probabtionary period with minimum training requirements into effect, but I always get the "we'll run people off like that" comments. So, where is the happy medium?

[Chief Taylor]

Our Probees or what we call Apprentices must become State Certified Firefighter I and EMT-B prior to being allowed to respond as a Primary responder.

They can respond as support until they get this certification, but this seems to work pretty good.

[iwood51]

Our probies are resuired to do the following before being considered for removal from probation:
Must attend at least 2 Sunday drills per month (we drill every Sunday and at least twice more during the month).
Must attend 50% of hands-on drills at the County training center.
Must complete their FF level I certification.
Must complete in-house certification demonstrating knowledge of SOP's, radio operations, and equipment and truck knowledge (not truck operating, but knowing where the euipment is located, what it's called, what it's used for, and how to use it.)
Must also complete in-house SCBA endurance test.
Must also be active on at least 1 administrative committee.

Standard probationary period is 1 year. A select few may make it in 10-11 months, some are allowed a 6 month extension, most complete it in the 1 year period. If you have not completed probation in 18 months, you are dismissed from the department.

After being sworn in as a probationary member, each member must complete a six-class orientation before they are issued gear, alerting device, blue light.

No probationary members are allowed to respond to mutual aid calls. They are allowed on the first-due apparatus at the discretion of the OIC.



[This message has been edited by iwood51 (edited June 09, 2000).]

[bob1350]

Our new volunteers must:
Complete and pass our Firefighter I academy

Complete and pass Wild Land Red Card Class

Spend a minimum of 8 hours a month at each of five stations.

Complete First Responder training

Pass Combat Challenge test in full bunkers on air

Get the blessings of the Training officers

Stay out of trouble

Attend at least 8 business meetings that year

Make at least 5% of the calls (approx.200)

After a 1 year, they will be off probationary status.

[Dalmatian90]

-- Probation is the orientation & indoctrination period

-- At least 90 days, no more than 1 year. The Board of Directors can make exceptions to the time, but not training, requirements

-- Associate Members -- attend the first probationary meeting
-- EMS-only members attend the first eight or so (orientation, pathogens, scene safety, traffic control, fire extingushers, ambulance familiarization, rescue truck familiarization)
-- Fire or Fire-EMS members continue with about another 8 classes, covering the rest of the apparatus

-- After completing training, be tested by a Chief Officer

Probie training is aimed at:
Know who we're organized
What we do
How to respond
Where to report to on an emergency scene
Basics of how not to get yourself hurt
How to work under close supervision to direct traffic ('cause the probies usually get that detail along with an experienced member)
When an officer tells you to get a ________, you know on which trucks and compartments it is kept.

Probies do get issued a key. The pager and OK to respond is issued by the Probationary Training Officer after the probie has gone through the first several classes, including scene safety & OSHA Blood/Air Borne Pathogens. They'll only function under close supervision at this point, but they can respond.

They're also expected to attend the regular drills in addition to probationary training.

You can not drive until completing probation, being 21 years old, and completeting driver training on the apparatus you'll drive.

You can not be an interior firefighter without minimum Firefigher I, Haz-Mat Anaylsis, and current physical, fit test, etc. And of course being off probation

[Brian Dunlap]

My company will accept members at the first Tuesday of each Month {Regular Business Meeting} Or any other Tuesday Evening at the Discretion of the Chief...Applicant must have a Valid D.L. and pass a criminal History and Physical Exam performed by a Doctor. The Member will then be issued Gear and a Pager and be allowed to respond to calls at a limited duty level until the completion of Firefighter Level I The prospective Member will be on a Six Month Probation Period and must show his/her intrest by responding to calls as much as possible and making the Tuesday Night Drills and Company Mantainence Nights {Station Clean-Up} Based on the perfomance the Member is voted upon after six months and either accepted to full membership or given another six months to again show intrest or is removed all together...It works our roster has stayed up to around 45 active members for the last 7 years or so