The Santa Fe County Fire Department has about ninety paid personnel with over three hundred volunteers. Without volunteers, the emergency services we all rely on simply would not exist.
Maybe being a firefighter or EMT has never crossed your mind. But the truth is, anyone who is willing to learn and work hard can do this. At Hondo, we have volunteers, both male and female, ranging from high schoolers to senior citizens. Each one is guided, trained and supported at every step to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to be effective in a crisis.
If you are seriously interested, you can become a “probationary member” of Hondo Fire & Rescue, where you will be mentored by more experienced personnel. You may elect to attend the 12 week Volunteer Firefighter Academy, offered through the County, that will certify you to be active on fireground operations. Or you may decide to pursue certification as an EMT or Medical First Responder through a local community college or through one of many other programs available around the state. You will learn to operate the pumps on each of our engines, how to do CPR, and how to keep yourself and others safe in hazardous situations.
You will be issued a pager and within a matter of weeks begin responding to motor vehicle accidents, medical calls, going out on smoke checks and actually fighting fires as part of a highly trained, coordinated team. You will be stretched, but never beyond your capacity. Volunteering requires regular attendance at Saturday morning duty sections and Tuesday evening skills-building sessions. The time commitment is significant. It typically takes at least a year to work through your “probationary” stepping stones on your journey toward Firefighter or EMT status. But unlike some other “volunteer” jobs, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your time, skills and energies are making a critical difference in our community (often a life-saving difference). And your will feel the camaraderie of working with others who would risk their lives–if necessary–to keep you whole.
We meet the first Tuesday of each month 7pm – 8pm at Station 1, 21 Seton Village Road for a business meeting. We also meet Saturday between 8am – 10am at Station 1, with third Saturdays at Station 2. Join us for a cup of coffee – even if you’re just curious about what we do. We will gladly take the time to talk with you about everything Hondo.
