A strike team of volunteer firefighters from six local agencies gather for a debriefing during the Glass Fire / Image: Sashwa Burrous / 2020
What does it take to be a volunteer firefighter?
COMMITMENT. DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY. A SOLID WORK ETHIC. AND A FEW BASIC REQUIREMENTS.
Volunteer firefighters must:
be 18 years or older
be healthy (physical exam by a doctor may be required)
be capable of passing a firefighter fitness test
have a clean criminal record
possess a driver’s license and clean driving record
complete mandatory training requirements
Your fire agency will teach you everything else you need to know.
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Steve Baxman, Monte Rio Volunteer Fire Chief
“The joke is that my phone is called the ‘Bat Phone’ because people call it instead of 911. When I get a call, usually I can tell you who lives there and what’s wrong them before I even get there.”
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Anthony Reid, Gold Ridge volunteer firefighter
“I got into the fire service a month after the Tubbs Fire and have loved it ever since. It’s definitely made me a better person. I’m more confident now and way more prepared.”
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Tonia Bello, Gold Ridge volunteer firefighter & EMT
“We have one time on this planet and I want to use it to give back to the world and our community. It’s an absolutely amazing thing and until they kick me out, I’m here!”
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Tim Espinoza, Camp Meeker volunteer firefighter
“It’s important, what we do. And I think a lot more people would do it if they realized, number one the importance, and number two, the possibilities of being involved.”
How to become a volunteer firefighter in Sonoma County
LOCATE YOUR NEAREST VOLUNTEER FIRE PROGRAM.
The 38 pins on the map below represent fire departments and districts with active volunteer firefighters.
The only fire agencies in Sonoma County without volunteers are Santa Rosa Fire Department, Petaluma Fire Department, Rancho Adobe Fire District, and the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. (If you reside in one of these districts, you may still be able to volunteer at a neighboring department.)
REACH OUT.
Below the map is contact information for each fire agency. If you don’t hear back within a few days, please remember that many of the smaller fire agencies operate with limited administrative support and try again.
TRAIN.
The state of California requires all firefighters – paid and volunteer – to complete specific trainings before running calls. Depending on the fire agency, these trainings are offered either in-house at the station or through the firefighter academy at the Santa Rosa Junior College, and generally at no cost to you.
Once you’re on a roster you will be required to attend regular drills and supplemental trainings throughout the year to keep you and others safe and your skills fresh.
Please note that many of our fire agencies have consolidated in recent years and their updated department names may not appear in the Google map above. To minimize confusion, we’ve included both current and recently former department names below, where applicable.
*Asterisks indicate all-volunteer agencies; all others are combination departments with both paid and volunteer firefighters or stipend programs.
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Bodega Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Bodega Bay Fire Protection District
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Camp Meeker Volunteer Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Cazadero Fire Department
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Cloverdale Fire Protection District
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Dry Creek Rancheria Fire Department
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Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Gold Ridge Fire Protection District – Freestone*
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Gold Ridge Fire Protection District – Hessel
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Gold Ridge Fire Protection District – Twin Hills
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Graton Fire Department
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Healdsburg Fire Department
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Kenwood Fire Protection District
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Lakeville Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Monte Rio Fire Protection District
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Northern Sonoma County Fire (formerly Geyserville Fire Protection District)
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North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District (formerly Annapolis Volunteer Fire Department)
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North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District (formerly Sea Ranch Fire Department)
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Schell-Vista Fire Protection District
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Sebastopol Fire Department
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 1 (formerly Windsor Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 2 (formerly Rincon Valley Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 3 (formerly Windsor Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 4 (formerly Rincon Valley Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 5 (formerly Rincon Valley Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 6* (formerly Mountain Volunteer Fire Department)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 7 (formerly Forestville Fire Department)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 8 (formerly Bennett Valley Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Station 9 (formerly Russian River Fire Protection)
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Sonoma County Fire District, Alpine Station (formerly Rincon Valley Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 1 (formerly Valley of the Moon Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 2 (formerly Valley of the Moon Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 3 (formerly Valley of the Moon Fire Protection District)
1 Agua Caliente Rd W, Sonoma, CA 95476
https://svfra.org/
(707) 996-1190
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 4 (formerly Diamond A Fire Department)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 5 (formerly Glen Ellen Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 6 (formerly Glen Ellen Fire Protection District)
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Sonoma Valley Fire District, Station 8 (formerly Mayacamas* Volunteer Fire Department)
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Timber Cove Fire Department*
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Two Rock Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)
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Wilmar Volunteer Fire Department* (a North Bay Fire company)