What are the requirements to join?
What is the process to join?
What training is required of me when I join the fire department?
How long is fire academy?
What is fire academy like?
Who will be at fire academy with me?
What is expected out of me when I complete fire academy?
How will I be notified that there is a call
taking place?
What if I miss a call, meeting or drill
What if I do not make the 40%?
Are there any benefits to being on the Verona Fire Department.
You have a question to ask? feel free to E-mail
.
What are the requirements to join?
You must be between the ages of 18 and 45. You also must either be a permanent
resident or a full time employee of the Township of Verona for at least six
months immediately prior to application. This residency requirement may
be waived if you are an active member in good standing in any recognized fire
department.
Back to top
What is the process to join?
- You will first be called in for your interview. You will be asked a series of
questions just to get to know you, what kind of hours you will be putting in,
what station you would like to be at, etc. It's not a job interview, but rather
a chance to get a better idea of who you are.
- You will need to be evaluated by a physician to determine if you are fit
and able to perform.
- You then will be required to be
fingerprinted by Verona Police, who will send them to the State Police for a
background check. This part is completely out of VFD's hands, and can take
anywhere from a few weeks to 3 months. You must have patience while this check is taking place. You may
also not hear from us until the check comes back.
- When your check comes back,
you will be called in for your equipment and you may begin to answer calls.
Back to top
What training is required of me when I join the fire department?
You are expected to become trained. We will gladly help you get trained. All
members training is paid for by the Verona Fire Department. Currently, members
must be enrolled in a state certified fire academy within 6 months of coming on.
Back to top
How long is fire academy?
Fire academy is approximately 150 hours. Generally, each member goes for 2
nights a week for about 3 months, or 1 day a week for about 6 months, depending
on the academy.
Back to top
What fire academy will I be attending.
Currently, Essex County does not have a fire academy of its own. With the
exception of the City of Newark, all fire departments in Essex County must go
out of county to get trained. The choice of academy is yours, however, most
of our members usually go to Morris County Fire Fighters and Police Training Academy in
Morris Plains, Passaic County Public Safety Academy in Wayne, or Bergen County Law Public Safety Institute in Mahwah.
Back to top
What is fire academy like?
It's no boot camp, that's for sure. Generally, members have half classroom
work thought by experienced firefighters, and apply what they learned in the
classroom with hands-on experience in the other half. Manageable calisthenics
are usually performed in the beginning and end of each session.Although a little time consuming, members generally enjoy fire school: You
meet new and interesting people, face new experiences and share some laughs, all
while still learning the core material.
Back to top
Who will be at fire academy with me?
It is preferred that all new members go together, for many reasons. However,
depending on when you come on, that may not be possible. On the other hand,
you will be attending school with other new volunteer members from other towns,
so everyone is in the same situation as you. Your instructors are certified
state fire instructors with years of real life experience on and off the fire
ground.
Back to top
What is expected out of me when I complete fire academy?
From the moment you join, there are approximately 300 fire calls and 24 meetings and
24 drills during a 12 month period that a member is expected to be at. But
like all of us, we understand that you have family, work and social obligations to meet as well.
Knowing that, you are expected to meet at least 40% of fire calls, drills, and
meetings in a 12 month period. This isn't a lot at all. Our members do not find
this requirement at all a problem.
Back to top
How will I be notified that there is a call
taking place?
We currently have 2 systems in place. We have a radio system and a horn system.
Every member upon them receiving their gear is given a two-way radio. The member
will be notified of a call first with a
tone, then an address and nature of the call. Now realizing that there
are situations where carrying a radio isn't possible, so police dispatch
activates the horn at town hall to notify members without a radio that their is
a call.
Back to top
What if I miss a call, meeting or drill.
If you are at a fire related function (i. e. Fire School) during a call, drill
or meeting, you are automatically credited for it. If at anytime you are unable
to function over a long period of time, a leave of absence will excuse you. In
addition, you may earn extra credits for other activities, and there are a ton
to be awarded out. There are 12 additional drill and 12 additional meeting
credits available for make up credits by attending your other company's meetings
or drills if need be. In addition, if you show that you are making a sincere
effort, we will work with you to meet your requirements.
Back to top
What if I do not make the 40%?
Its not the end of the world if you don't make 40%. We won't kick you off,
however, you will loose your stipend and voting privileges during that time
frame. In addition you may not qualify for LOSAP or earn state exemption credits.
Back to top
Are there any benefits to being on the Verona Fire Department.
Yes, there are. Joining the department opens the door to new experiences.
Members enjoy a close fraternal tie with unlimited networking as well as a new
experience of learning, rarely found in other types of organizations. There are
a lot of social events, both informal and formal. We do charity work outside of
firematic duties such as a golf outing or the Ski Race every year. We have an
annual dinner, and hold events to encourage team building.
Additional training is highly encouraged, and any class that a member wishes to
take is paid for by the Department.
In addition, the
Township provides small financial rewards as well. Firstly, every year, the Township
of Verona gives a small stipend to the volunteers for their service to the town.
Generally this covers any expenses like time off of work, gas used, or clothing
damaged. Qualifying firefighters are eligible for the Length of Service Rewards
Program (LOSAP). This is similar to a 401K program, however with a much, much
smaller contributions from the town. Younger members, with good investments over
time may find this program to be very beneficial in later years. However, these
financial benefits are nothing of great significance, and maybe a few hundred
dollars at best. The financial benefits do not and are not designed to motivate
the members, rather, as a little special reward for the dedication of our
members.
Life Insurance and a burial benefit through the State Relief Association is provided to the member at no cost.
Back to top