According to Fire Chief John Lambert, it takes one to two years of training and experience before a new person can function with reasonable confidence as an emergency responder.

Lambert added that the demands of being a volunteer emergency responder in addition to the demands of young families and/or expanding job responsibilities are resulting in an increasing number of volunteers leaving his agency before they reach their third year.

Fire District 45 relies on volunteers for a significant part of the staffing at the headquarters station in Duvall as well as for response in the eastern portion of the district and for extra support for patient transports and larger calls.

“The system provides a high level of service in a cost-effective manner and we would like to keep it going,” stated Chief Lambert.

The Fire District will be accepting applications for volunteer positions through March 17.

Interested persons are invited to attend an information night on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at the headquarters station in Duvall. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid Washington State driver’s license and live within the District.

The volunteer responder selection process is extensive, including a written test, a physical agility test, background checks, oral interview, psychological evaluation, and a medical evaluation.

Additional elements will be added to ensure that candidates can make an informed decision about becoming a volunteer emergency responder.

For further information, contact the Fire District at 425-788-1625 or look on their Web site at www.duvallfire45.com.