For the first time, Central Emergency Services is actively recruiting for their volunteer residency program, where approved applicants live in outlying stations like Kasilof and Funny River as a trade for covering a certain amount of shifts per month.
CES Volunteer Coordinator Dick Kapp helped launch the program last January which can help people get started in emergency responder or firefighting careers.
Kapp: “On the EMS side, they would go through an ETT program, Emergency Trauma Training, and that’s basically the first responder level for EMS. They would go through department basic firefighter [training] and become what we call an exterior firefighter, they would not make entry into buildings but they would fight fire from the outside of the building. And they would get a department driver operator [certification], where they would be taught to drive an operate a water tanker and an engine.”
The program’s launch in January aimed to move more senior responders to the Peninsula’s ‘central stations’ where a majority of calls are fielded.
Kapp says since the program’s first resident volunteers took their stations in July, the program has seen great success in providing their response area with more emergency personnel.
Now CES is recruiting for one station that currently has a resident opening but four will be opening next spring.
There are two main requirements to apply for the position: a current, valid Alaska drivers license and applicants must be 19 years of age or older.
The resident volunteers help the departments respond to emergencies as well as perform station duties.
Those interested may contact Dick Kapp at CES by calling 262-4792, extension 3.