Join Us!
Would you like to join Wood River Fire and Rescue? We are always looking for good people to join our ranks. Just reach out and let’s talk.
Are you compassionate, motivated and a life long learner?
We would love for you to be part of our team.
Fire
THIS IS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TRAINING FOR. You are dispatched to a confirmed structure. SMOKE AND FLAMES showing. You arrive first on scene, flames dance out of a neighborhood garage. You jump out of the engine and pull a line. Your engineer sends you water as you and your partner put on your protective breathing apparatus. Time to go to work. Water flows from the nozzle and you hear the sizzle and crack of the fire as you help put it out…
WRFR hosts a fire training academy every year starting in January. As a volunteer, you commit to learning the ropes until May. You’re time in class will help prepare you for fighting live fire and it will give you the education to earn your Firefighter I which is a nationally recognized structure fire rating. You’ll also learn the basics for wildland fire fighting. At the end of academy, you’ll have earned a spot on the engine and will become a paid member of WRFR. Cadet’s goals range from working one shift per month to launching a career in the fire service… Either way, academy is the first step to joining the fire family.
All hands on deck!
EMS
“St. Luke’s Wood River, this is Ambulance 691…” You’re making the call to the hospital to alert them that you are in route with a stroke patient. Lights and sirens all the way to the hospital. The patient is whisked into the ER. Later you learn that your patient was indeed suffering from a stroke and that your swift action on scene helped them avoid permanent brain damage.
Once you’ve gone through academy, you are encouraged to become an EMT. Did you know? A large percentage of our calls to service are EMS related. WRFR pays for your EMT education and once you’ve gone through the class you are qualified to really make a difference in our community. We are tasked with helping people on their worst days. As an EMT you’ll have the chance to change someone’s life.
As you progress in your fire career, becoming a paramedic is an option. WRFR is an ALS (Advanced Life Support) agency and the majority of its full time personnel are paramedics. Becoming a paramedic is the launch pad to earning full time status in any fire department.
Driver / Operator
Lights and sirens all the way to the structure fire, you’re in the driver seat. Your firefighter hits the hydrant and sends you 1000’s of gallons of water as you prime the pump on the engine. Flip on the deck gun and douse the roof fire, instantly putting it out.
At WRFR, we assume many roles. When you’re ready, you will learn how to drive and operate our fleet on engines, ranging from wild-land rigs, to structure engines, to ladder trucks.
Extrication
The plan is to stabilize the vehicle, then perform a dash fold. The victim is trapped with their legs caught under the steering wheel. Good thing you paid attention in extrication class. Here come the hydraulic cutters and the ram. You make the cut to the vehicle floor and your partner sets the ram in place. Before you know it, the victim is free and on their way to the hospital.
Ever wanted to be the firefighter who is controlling the “jaws of life?” As time progresses and you become more familiar with WRFR’s operations, you’ll be able to take a class in vehicle extrication. Our community donates vehicles for the class and we get to spend the weekend cutting them up. Once you learn the in’s and out’s of extrication, you’ll be qualified to respond to motor vehicle accidents and put those skill to use.
Technical Rescue
Tones go out for a technical rescue on Kelly Mountain. The patient has a broken ankle half way up the slopes and is unable to walk off the mountain. The helicopter can only land at the top or at the saddle... Time for a technical rescue, ropes, knots and rappel devices get thrown in the Squad. This is your chance to join us on a technical rescue.
As you progress with WRFR, you’ll have the opportunity to learn rope rescue and swift-water rescue. Additionally we train for avalanche, ice, mountain bike and animal rescue. If any of these are your forte, we would love it if you joined our technical rescue team.
