YOU WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER

So, you want to be a firefighter? Maybe not. Before you become one of us, we want you to know what you do not. We cannot offer you the pay or benefit packages of more typical employers. We're called "public servants" and "volunteers". You should also know that you "volunteer" to belong - everything that follows in the fire service is "mandatory". It has to be. The services we provide quite literally involve life and death, including your own. Fire departments are not social clubs. The days of the "good old boys", "bearded wonders", and "banquet firemen" are gone. It has to be. Buildings burn with more intensity, hazardous material content, and risk of collapse than ever before. Other organizations exist to fulfill your "party" needs. Belonging will be time-consuming. Training. More training. Always training. Firefighting is a "gamble". The only means you have of placing the "odds" in your favor is education. Knowing how fire burns, clues of color and smoke, building construction and all the other things that must be learned may save your life, and the lives of others. It also takes time to respond to alarms, do your duty, and then get all the equipment and tools of the trade back in service. The work doesn't end when the fire goes out. Time is needed for station and vehicle maintenance, prevention, inspections. investigations. record keeping, parades, and fundraisers (there is never enough money). Time ... the fire service requires lots of time. Firefighting is physically demanding. Not all of the time -just each time you step foot on the truck to answer a call. Your heart pounds, adrenalin flows, and if you are sane, you are also scared. You'll wear almost 50 pounds of protective equipment. While wearing it, you will pull, push, climb, stretch, carry, lift, crouch, crawl, and breathe harder than you thought possible. Smoke and soot become your cologne. You will learn a new meaning of what it is to be truly "cold", "hot", "sore", and "tired". You may bleed, you will sweat, and sometimes; you will shed tears. Firefighting can be ugly. It can be blinding bright or blinding dark. It can be deadly silent or have a deafening roar. You will see suffering and carnage in fires of the future - like those before. So, you still want to be a firefighter? Then you might make it, you can make It; many have. The "bad" in firefighting is part of the "good". It is what makes us different. We do what others can't. If you become one of us, you'll share challenges, comradery, and when we're successful, a sense of accomplishment that is second to none. Your family becomes ours; and ours becomes yours. In our breed, you will experience an often strange sense of humor, and you'll develop pride. Not boastful, bragging, cocky pride; rather an inner pride known only by those who have worn the gear. You will create a respect for your co-workers across the nation, and for their job, that exists in no other profession. It Is often said that "firefighting gets in your blood". That's not true. If you become one of us, it gets in your heart.

Requirements for Joining the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department:

* Must be 18 or older to be considered for a Firefighter position.

* Cadets must be between the ages of 17 at the time of application (With in-person parental approval).

* Firefighters SHALL have a valid driver's license or have dependable means to respond to the station.

* Must have a clean driving record if you plan on operating Fire Department vehicles.

* No Felony convictions

* No violent or narcotic misdemeanor convictions (Assaults, Possession of Marijuana, Thefts, etc.) within the past 10 years (Criminal Backgrounds will be checked).

Indicates Required Field

Applying for, List One; Fire, EMS, Fire/EMS, Support:
Date:
Full Name: Full name last, first, and middle initial
Address: Current physical address
Date of Birth: Month- day- year
Texas DL Class and Number:
Phone Number: Cell and/or home number
Email: List email address
Previous Fire and or EMS Experience: List departments
Attention membership, Attached is my application for membership with the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department. I have given my full name, address, and other pertinent information as requested. I understand that this application must be completed in its entirety to receive consideration for membership. I certify that I have carefully completed this application and that I have given all information herein without omission or falsification. I further attest that no information has been withheld about my background. I consent to the investigation of all facts and circumstances given in the attached application for membership to the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department. I also consent to the interview of any references provided herein, and to any background investigation needed by the fire department. I fully understand that should any information herein be investigated and found to be false, I will be subject to dismissal from the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department Academy or the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department itself without recourse. By signing below, I also agree that should I become a member of the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department, it is my responsibility to obtain copies of all governing by-laws and policies. It is my responsibility to comply with these by-laws and policies. I understand that if I fail to comply with these by-laws and policies, I may face disciplinary actions and/ or termination of my membership from the department.     Dear Applicant, Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department. Our success as a community service organization depends on knowledgeable, educated and dependable people who are willing to give time and effort for a common goal. We are pleased to see your interest in being part of our family. The process of becoming a SL VFD member is straightforward. Please complete the attached preliminary application in its entirety.  A background and driving record check will be conducted on this information. A valid Texas driver's license with an address near San Leon (Texas City, Dickinson, League City, or Bacliff) must also be present. After receiving this completed application you will be enrolled in the upcoming firefighter candidate class (classes are held biannually in January and July). You must take a new member class within six months of your application's approval. It will require approximately 100 training hours and you are required to attend all classes to continue with the FD. The objective of the firefighter candidate class is to provide each applicant with the minimum training required to function as a member of this department. It will cover both classroom and practical training that will provide basic firefighting and department operational knowledge. You will be required to participate in the regular activities of the fire department such as Tuesday evening training and Thursday work details. These sessions will serve to introduce you to the fire department's members and likewise them to you.. Following the receipt of your completed application you will be allowed to observe and, in some instances, interact in training up until the new member academy. You will need to be present at both Tuesday night drills as well as Thursday night work details to learn the equipment and how we function before the class. On behalf of the Officers and Membership, we look forward to having you as a member of the San Leon Volunteer Fire Department   sincerely, the Membership of the San Leon Fire Department.