FLORIDA VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER INFORMATION
Being a volunteer emergency responder is a rewarding experience and an extraordinary way to serve your community. It takes dedication, sacrifice, leadership, and mental/physical stamina.
Approximately 12 million Florida citizens depend on volunteer firefighters to protect their community. To keep these residents safe, it's critical that individuals volunteer for local departments. More than 200 departments throughout Florida utilize volunteers to sustain operations.
DEFINITION: VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER
Individual who holds a current and valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion issued by the Division of State Fire Marshal under s. 633.408, Florida Statutes.
DEFINITION: FIRE SERVICE SUPPORT PERSONNEL
Individual who does not hold a current and valid certificate issued by the division and who may only perform support services.
DEFINITION: FIRE SERVICE SUPPORT SERVICES
Those activities that a fire service provider has training and individual to perform safely outside the hot zone of an emergency scene. Including pulling hoses, opening and closing fire hydrants, driving and operating apparatus, carrying tools, carrying or moving equipment, directing traffic, manning a resource pool or similar activities.
DEFINITION: HOT ZONE
The area immediately around an incident where serious threat of harm exists, which includes the collapse zone for a structure fire.
September 2024 Coming Soon!
Florida Firefighter Assistance Grant Program
The Firefighter Assistance Grant Program was established by Florida Statute 633.135 and F.A.C. 69A-37.502 to improve the emergency response capability of volunteer fire departments and combination fire departments and provide financial assistance to improve firefighter safety and enable such fire departments to provide firefighting, emergency medical, and rescue services to their communities. Grant funding is available for training, PPE, SCBA’s, fire safety and fire rescue related equipment and tools, Wildland Firefighting and Urban Interface Firefighting protective clothing and equipment, and cost share subsidy for AFG apparatus awards.
FY2023 Firefighter Assistance Grant Award Outcomes
FY2021 Firefighter Assistance Grant Award Outcomes
FY2020 Firefighter Assistance Grant Award Outcomes
FY2019 Firefighter Assistance Grant Award Outcomes
Grow as You Go
The Online Volunteer Firefighter Training Program
The Bureau of Fire Standards and Training has developed a new approach to train Florida’s volunteer firefighters. The Modular Online Volunteer Firefighter Program allows prospective volunteer firefighters to serve their community by completing modules until they receive their Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion. For more information on this program, click on the button below.
Click here to download the Volunteer Firefighter Verification of Training Completion Worksheet. The worksheet may be used by Volunteer Fire Departments to record training that will enable the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training to issue an updated Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion that will reflect 191 hours of training completed.
Guidelines for the Firefighter Part 1 Certificate of Completion Program (Volunteer Firefighter Taskbook)
The standard of firefighter training as required by Florida State Statute 633 and Florida
Administrative Codes 69A-37 and 69A-62 to be a Volunteer Firefighter is the completion of Part 1 of the State of Florida Minimum Standards Course. This
document provides guidelines for meeting this requirement.
CLICK HERE for Revision 3.3 Volunteer Firefighter Task Book
Firefighter Part I Program
If you are teaching Firefighter Part I, use this link: CLICK HERE for the Firefighter Part I Syllabi
If you have any questions about the "GROW AS YOU GO" Training Program, Firefighter I Training, or about opportunities to serve with the Florida Volunteer Fire Service Community, please contact:
Mr. Charlie Frank
STATE VOLUNTEER FIRE COORDINATOR
BUREAU OF FIRE STANDARDS AND TRAINING
THE FLORIDA STATE FIRE COLLEGE
11655 NW GAINESVILLE ROAD
OCALA, FLORIDA 34482
352-369-2808