Cahaba Valley Fire and EMR District has a Resident Firefighter Program that may be of interest to students at Shelby County High Schools that are preparing to graduate in the Spring of 2019. The program is designed to give individuals interested in the Fire Service as a career choice a pathway into the field.
We have 16 apartments at our Stations. The apartment is a one room apartment that shares an bath with an adjoining room. The resident firefighters live at the stations. In exchange for the room, they work 24 hours per week (usually one 24 hour shift). If they choose to go to school, they would work an additional 24 hours within a two week pay period. We give up to $5000 per year for school.
No experience is necessary. We send all of our Residents to the Alabama Fire College to attend a 9 week Recruit Training Academy. Once they complete the academy they are certified as a professional Firefighter. State law requires a two year commitment to the Department that sends an individual to recruit school. During this time, they work for us, obtain additional Fire Service certifications and training, attend Emergency Medical Technician training and gain valuable work experience.
The program if used properly affords someone the opportunity to enter the Fire Service, gain career training and education to prepare them to enter the Fire Service. By design, our program basically brings someone in, gives the tools and experience needed to transition to a full time Firefighter position. We have alumni of our Resident program that work in most of the local departments around the Birmingham area.
Please visit the link below to learn more about our the program and our department in general.
http://cahabavalleyfire.org/residentprogram.html