Be a Firefighter >> Browse Articles >> Ten Steps to Becoming a Volunteer Firefighter
Step 7: Possess Good Time Management Skills
Featured Author:
Luther Berge
Luther Berge is a 2-year veteran volunteer firefighter at the Pickwick Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department located in Winona, Minnesota. After taking a tour of a local fire department back in elementary school, Luther had the natural passion to become a firefighter. He recalls chasing after responding sirens when he was younger, just to see if he could catch sight of the firetrucks. One of his proudest accomplishments was when he became a first responder, and making his childhood dream come true.
Other than response calls, Luther's favorite part about being a volunteer is the opportunity to meet others from surrounding departments and build new relationships with those firefighters. Having several mutual aid calls, Luther understands the importance of branching out his relationships outside of just his own station.
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Being a volunteer is a great way to start out in the industry, but there are also other factors you may have to consider. Most volunteer firefighters have full-time jobs and families.
Learning how to prioritize your schedule will be one of the most useful skills during your time volunteering. Thankfully, a lot of departments across the country have set meeting schedules and trainings that you can prepare for ahead of time.
Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.
Though it can be a time consuming job, volunteering is well worth the effort and work in the long run.