NUMBER SOP 7

REFERENCE

WAC 296-305-05501, NFPA 1500

SCOPE

All Volunteer personnel

PURPOSE

In support of its mission to provide emergency services to the community the District maintains a series of programs based on volunteer membership. The following standard operating procedures establish criteria for recruiting and maintaining members for these programs in a manner that upholds the District’s operating principles and protects the interests of public safety.

Standard Definitions

Active Status – Personnel who meet minimum compliance standards for training, safety, activity, and membership requirements.

Inactive Status – Personnel who have resigned, are on an authorized leave of absence, or are who are out of compliance with minimum training, safety, activity, or membership requirements. Personnel who are placed on inactive status shall not be allowed to serve as responders until they have been re-activated to active status.

Member – A person who is officially affiliated with and who is involved in performing the duties and responsibilities of the Fire District. Members may occupy any position or rank within the fire department, and may or may not engage in emergency operations.

Volunteer Firefighter – A volunteer emergency responder who has achieved a minimum level of training and is assigned to fill a combat fire suppression role.

Support Service Volunteer – A non-combat volunteer member assigned either to fill a role that supports the efforts of suppression forces or to provide an administrative support role.

POLICY

Kitsap County Fire District 7 shall not discriminate against any person from 18 to 70 years regardless of age, gender, regardless of race, creed, national origin, marital status, or non job-related physical, sensory, or mental handicaps who may apply for a position as Volunteer Firefighter.

Kitsap County Fire District 7 reserves the right to maintain a philosophy that places individual opportunity secondary to public and employee safety. Therefore, applicants with limitations that may prevent them from being able to safely perform job-related duties may be disqualified.

Kitsap County Fire District 7 shall establish minimum qualification standards for volunteer membership. These minimum qualification standards, listed in the individual job descriptions, shall be provided to the applicant at the time of application.

Kitsap County Fire District 7 shall establish minimum activity requirements for maintaining active membership status. Only personnel who maintain active status may be allowed to participate as emergency responders. The District’s minimum activity requirements shall be provided to the applicant at the time of application.

Individuals may apply for and upon approval, be assigned to a Support Service Volunteer program or projects. The District shall establish specific activity requirements for each program or individual project. Examples include: Chaplain, Tender Operator, Air Support, Photographer, Home Inspections, and so on.

Responsibilities

The District Fire Chief, or a designee operating under the Chief’s authority, shall be responsible for making volunteer membership appointments.

The District Training Officer, in conjunction with the District’s Volunteer Battalion Chiefs, shall be responsible for:

administering the District’s volunteer application process;

coordinating station and or program assignments;

monitoring training/activity records to ensure compliance with minimum membership requirements;

enforcement of District attendance policies and corrective measures;

review of all requests for leave of absence, excused absence, transfer, etc.

The Training Division shall be responsible for establishing the District’s probationary training and performance requirements. Failure to meet the District’s probationary requirements may serve as grounds for failing the probationary period.

The District’s Personnel Manager shall be responsible for completing administrative personnel matters, establishing, and maintaining personnel records.

Individual members shall be responsible for:

maintaining compliance with applicable training, safety, activity, and membership requirements;

reporting changes in personal status (i.e., address change, marital status, etc.);

initiating requests for excused absence, leaves of absence, transfers, etc;

reporting changes in their physical condition that may limit their ability to safely perform normal job duties;

ensuring that they participate in an exit interview and have returned all items issued by District upon resignation.

Standard Guidelines

Participation Limitation - Applicants shall not be allowed to participate in any physical activities associated with the District where subject to potential injury until they have been enrolled with the District’s volunteer insurance program.

Minimum Qualifications - All volunteer applications will be reviewed by the District Training Officer or a designee to ensure that the applicant meets minimum qualifications. As a minimum, applicants must:

be a US citizen, or be lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residency;

live within the fire district, or be able to otherwise meet specified minimum activity levels;

be a minimum of 18 years old at the time of appointment;

possess a high school diploma or GED (photocopy required);

have a level of physical ability commensurate to applicable job related duties;

possess a valid driver license (photocopy required).

At the direction of the Fire Chief, exceptions to minimum qualifications may be made for specified Support Service Programs or for individual projects on a case-by-case basis.

Membership Process – All volunteer applicants must complete each of the in-processing steps as prescribed for the desired program. In-processing requires satisfactory completion of the following steps in sequence:

Applications Submitted – Completed applications are submitted to the District’s Administrative Office along with all required forms. Applications are then forwarded for screening. Volunteer Application

Final approval for appointment submitted to the District board of Commissioners

Application Screening – Applications are screened to ensure that applicants meet all minimum eligibility requirements. Each applicant shall be given direction as to how they proceed in the process.

Volunteer Programs Orientation – Applicant’s and their significant others attend an orientation session that overviews the Fire District and explains the requirements and expectations associated with each of the District’s volunteer firefighter and support service volunteer programs.

Written Exam – All applicants must demonstrate a minimum level of academic skills by satisfactorily completing a general academic written exam. The exam ensures applicants possess the necessary for probationary training, workplace documentation and report writing, etc.

Physical Ability Exam (Firefighter Applicants Only) – All volunteer applicants must demonstrate a minimum level of physical ability by satisfactorily completing a physical ability exam. The exam process assesses the minimum ability to perform the physical requirements of probationary training and assigned duties.

Program Interviews – A One-on-one interview with the applicable program manager(s) to restate program requirements, ensure understanding of program expectations, and to determine applicant selection for process advancement.

Applicants selected for program placement shall be offered conditional membership contingent upon a successful background investigation, medical physical exam, and completion of all probationary requirements. Members shall be assigned a personnel number and file.

Background Investigation – All members are subject to a background investigation to include contact with references, a driving history, and criminal background.

Wellness/Medical Physical – All volunteer members must complete Form 5-10, WISHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire, a Spriometry Pulmonary Function exam, a wellness/medical physical, and a fitness exam in order to be satisfactorily cleared for duty by the District’s physician prior to participating in any District related physical activity. Upon successful completion, members shall be enrolled in the District’s volunteer insurance program.

Recruit Training (Firefighter Applicants Only) – All volunteer firefighter members must successfully complete an initial recruit training academy.

CDC Vaccinations – All volunteer members must complete or decline the series of communicable disease control vaccinations in accordance with District policy.

rogram/Station Assignment – Upon successful completion of all membership in-processing requirements, members shall be assigned to their respective Battalion Chief, Station Officer, or Program Manager.

Program/Station indoctrination – The members respective Battalion Chief, Station Officer, or Program Manager shall conduct an indoctrination to address the operational issues associated with the member’s assignment. The indoctrination shall include completion of the District’s Orientation Checklist.

Probationary Period - A six-month probationary period shall serve as an extension of the application process. The probationary period begins the first day of the member’s program/station assignment for a period of six months. A member may be terminated at any time during the probationary period.

Health & Safety Program Requirements – The District’s Health & Safety Program establishes minimum compliance requirements for all personnel. Failure to reasonably comply with these requirements may be used as grounds for restricting an individuals level of participation. Personnel who remain non-compliant may be re-classified to an inactive status or terminated.

Minimum Activity Requirements - In attempt to ensure that volunteer personnel maintain competent skills and remain proficient with fire department operations, the District shall establish minimum activity levels.

Support Service Volunteers – Specific activity requirements for support service volunteers shall be established on a program or individual basis depending upon the operational needs of the program or project. The respective program manager shall monitor compliance.

Volunteer Firefighters – Firefighters shall maintain a minimum level of drill attendance. Drill attendance is defined as active participation in the weekly volunteer drills scheduled by the District’s Training Division. At the Training Officer’s discretion, participation in alternate drills may be substituted to meet drill attendance requirements. Drill attendance will be tabulated on a quarterly basis. Attendance for members with excused absences may be prorated for the duration of the absence. Individuals failing to meet minimum activity levels are subject to automatic re-classification to inactive status. Drill attendance requires a:

minimum 75% drill attendance for volunteer officers.

minimum 70 % drill attendance for volunteer firefighters.

minimum 50 % drill attendance for career firefighters from other departments who volunteer.

Excused Absences - The member’s assigned Battalion Chief may authorize excused absences on a case-by-case basis. An excused absence shall be for a period of 1 to 3 months and shall not exceed a total of three months per calendar year. Members with an excused absence may continue as responders. Excused absences can include the following examples: attending an EMT course, a temporary change in work schedule, extended vacation, and so on. Personnel applying for an excused absence shall do so by submitting a written request through their normal chain of command.

Leave of Absence - The member’s assigned Battalion Chief may authorize leave of absences on a case-by-case basis. A leave of absence shall be for a minimum period of 3 and a maximum period of 6 months. The combined total of excused absences and leave of absence shall not exceed a total of 6 months per calendar year. Leave of absences can include the following examples: extended illnesses or injuries, a work commitment that takes the individual out of the area, maternity leave, and so on. Members requesting a leave of absence shall submit a written request though their normal chain of command.

Limitations of Absences – During an approved leave of absence, members shall:

remain eligible for any minimum benefits to which they qualify for;
not participate in any emergency response activities;
return their personal protective clothing, pagers, etc. to their station officer.

Enforcement – The District shall enforce its minimum training and health & safety program requirements in accordance with the following guidelines. The Training Division shall be responsible for providing Volunteer Battalion Chiefs, Station Officers, and Program Managers with drill attendance and health & safety compliance reports on a quarterly basis. Reports shall be reviewed and corrective measures initiated as needed.

Corrective measures shall be applied in the following sequence:

First Notice – Station Officers, via their assigned Battalion Chief, will be tasked with contacting their member to informing them of the necessary compliance. The officer is to counsel with the individual regarding their compliance and report back to the Training/Safety Division in writing. The individual’s compliance will be reviewed again the next quarter.

Second Notice – If the member has not reached compliance during the quarter following the first notice, or when a relapse occurs within one year, a written warning letter will be initiated by the Training/Safety Division. The warning letter will serve to place the individual on a 90-day probationary period (for compliance only). The member’s compliance will be reviewed again the next quarter.

Final Notice - If the member’s compliance still has not been resolved during the quarter following the second notice they will automatically be placed on inactive status or terminated.

Returning to Active Status – Members transferring into the District from other fire districts, returning from an excused absence or a leave of absence are subject to completing minimum training and health & safety program requirements prior to being re-classified to active status. The District’s Training/Safety Division shall be responsible for evaluating the member’s individual situation and prescribing any necessary training and/or health & safety compliance requirements. All prescribed requirements must be satisfied prior to being re-classified to active status.

Termination or Retirement from Membership - Members who wish to terminate or retire their membership with the District shall return all District issued equipment upon termination to their respective Battalion Chief. And shall participate in an exit interview in accordance with