The By-laws of the Lake View Fire District require that only individuals who reside within the Lake View Fire District are eligible to join the Lake View Fire Department. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be in good health and mentally sound. In addition, all individuals applying for membership must possess a valid New York State driver's license.
Requirements
1) Complete an Essentials of Firefighting (EF) course within the first year. This is a state sponsored course that is comprised of thirteen 3 hour sessions (total 39 hours). This course teaches firefighters the basic firefighting techniques (ladders, ropes, self contained breathing apparatus). While members are allowed and encouraged to answer all alarms of fire and first aid as soon as they officially are accepted into membership, they will not be allowed to enter buildings or perform any ladder work at the fire scene.
2) Complete a first aid course within 3 years of joining the department. The first aid course must be on the minimal level of an Emergency First Responder (New York State certified). This course runs about 75 hours of classroom instruction. Although first aid training is required, members are not required to join the first aid squad.
3) Minimal training and work hours that a member must contribute on an annual basis. Because of the ever-changing technology involved in fighting fires and handling other types of emergencies, keeping current on new techniques is essential. Therefore, every member is required to attain 30 hours of training annually. This can consist of training on the company, county or state levels. Fire company training is normally held every Monday evening (with the exception of the first Monday of the month). County and state courses (such as the EF course) are held routinely throughout the town and consist of Single Company Operations, Pump Operator Training, Officer Training Courses, Fire Police plus numerous others. These courses are optional but encouraged for members who want to advance their opportunities in the fire service.
4) Work hours on the company level are required at a annual minimum of 30. Work hours consist of such things as washing equipment, cleaning the halls, administrative work, etc.. Returning equipment back to service after a call is not considered work hours.
5) Each active member shall work at least 6 hours at the department's annual Community Day which is held each year on Memorial Day.
The minimum requirements listed here may seem, at first, to be excessive. However, when it is broken down on a weekly basis and when time is accumulated through drills, training and work hours, it turns out to be less than 2 hours per week.
Copyright © 2007, Lake View Fire District, All Rights Reserved.
This page was last updated: December 7, 2010
