Fire Corps
Encyclopedia
Fire Corps is an American
volunteer program which id designed to connect community members with their local fire/EMS departments to help with non-emergency tasks. On a national level, Fire Corps is managed by the National Volunteer Fire Council
and supported by the Department of Homeland Security, Citizen Corps
, and the United States Fire Administration
.
Launched in 2004, Fire Corps is one of five partner programs under Citizen Corps
, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience.
The Fire Corps web site located at www.firecorps.org serves as a gateway to information, resources, training, and networking opportunities for fire/EMS departments as well as community members interested in non-operational volunteer opportunities with their department. Departments can use this site to register their citizen volunteer program and community members can use the site to find a local Fire Corps program.
The Fire Corps national office seeks to:
Fire Corps members use their individual talents and skills to assist with various non-emergency tasks. The types of activities a Fire Corps team can provide are limited only by the needs of the department. Examples of Fire Corps activities include: conducting fire prevention and life safety education in the community; providing canteen services to first responders during long incidents; fundraising; helping at special events; providing administrative support; developing and maintaining web sites; conducting public relations; assisting with preplanning and community preparedness efforts; providing bilingual assistance; and much more.
Citizen Corps partner programs share the common goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. These partner programs help build capacity for first responders through the use of volunteers.
The five partner programs under Citizen Corps are: Community Emergency Response Team
; Fire Corps; USAonWatch-Neighborhood Watch; Medical Reserve Corps
; and Volunteers in Police Service
.
and supported by the United States Fire Administration
. Fire Corps is managed on a national level by the National Volunteer Fire Council
in partnership with an advisory committee made up of national fire service organizations. This National Advisory Committee provides valuable input, critical feedback, and supplementary ideas as to the direction of the program.
The National Advisory Committee is made up of the following organizations:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
volunteer program which id designed to connect community members with their local fire/EMS departments to help with non-emergency tasks. On a national level, Fire Corps is managed by the National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council is the leading 501 nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services...
and supported by the Department of Homeland Security, Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps is a United States national service program under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to mobilize the population of the country against threats to national security as well as to assist in the recovery after a disaster or terrorist attack...
, and the United States Fire Administration
United States Fire Administration
The United States Fire Administration is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency which in turn is managed by the Department of Homeland Security located in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Emmitsburg.-History:...
.
Launched in 2004, Fire Corps is one of five partner programs under Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps is a United States national service program under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to mobilize the population of the country against threats to national security as well as to assist in the recovery after a disaster or terrorist attack...
, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience.
The Fire Corps web site located at www.firecorps.org serves as a gateway to information, resources, training, and networking opportunities for fire/EMS departments as well as community members interested in non-operational volunteer opportunities with their department. Departments can use this site to register their citizen volunteer program and community members can use the site to find a local Fire Corps program.
Mission
The mission of Fire Corps is to increase the capacity of volunteer, career, and combination fire and EMS departments through the use of citizen advocates. Fire Corps provides resources for departments to utilize citizen advocates in non-operational roles so they can develop, implement, and sustain programs and services that will help their department meet the needs of their community.The Fire Corps national office seeks to:
- Learn about promising practices being used in existing non-operational volunteer programs
- Share this information with departments that want to expand or improve their programs
- Increase the use of non-emergency volunteers in existing programs
- Help citizens learn about and get involved in Fire Corps programs in their communities
- Help agencies without a program to get one started
How Fire Corps Helps Fire and EMS Departments
Nationwide, there are 30,165 fire departments in the United States. Fire Corps provides a way for community members who don’t want to serve as first responders to still help their local fire/EMS department. These community volunteers perform a variety of non-operational tasks, allowing the department’s first responders to focus on training and response activities while increasing the capacity and services a fire department can offer. Fire Corps members also act as advocates for the fire and emergency services in the community. In return, Fire Corps volunteers gain a better understanding of the emergency services and become better prepared to handle their own emergencies and those of their neighbors.Fire Corps members use their individual talents and skills to assist with various non-emergency tasks. The types of activities a Fire Corps team can provide are limited only by the needs of the department. Examples of Fire Corps activities include: conducting fire prevention and life safety education in the community; providing canteen services to first responders during long incidents; fundraising; helping at special events; providing administrative support; developing and maintaining web sites; conducting public relations; assisting with preplanning and community preparedness efforts; providing bilingual assistance; and much more.
Partner Programs
Fire Corps is one of five partner programs under Citizen Corps. The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds.Citizen Corps partner programs share the common goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. These partner programs help build capacity for first responders through the use of volunteers.
The five partner programs under Citizen Corps are: Community Emergency Response Team
Community Emergency Response Team
In the United States a community emergency response team can refer to* one of five federal programs promoted under the umbrella organization Citizen Corps, which is funded in part by the Stafford Act;...
; Fire Corps; USAonWatch-Neighborhood Watch; Medical Reserve Corps
Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps is a network in the U.S. of community-based units initiated and established by local organizations to meet the public health needs of their communities. It is sponsored by the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States...
; and Volunteers in Police Service
Volunteers in Police Service
The Volunteers in Police Service is a volunteer program that provides volunteer assistance to local police. The program is managed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in partnership with the White House Office of the USA Freedom Corps and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office...
.
National Advisory Committee
Fire Corps is funded through the Department of Homeland Security and Citizen CorpsCitizen Corps
Citizen Corps is a United States national service program under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to mobilize the population of the country against threats to national security as well as to assist in the recovery after a disaster or terrorist attack...
and supported by the United States Fire Administration
United States Fire Administration
The United States Fire Administration is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency which in turn is managed by the Department of Homeland Security located in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Emmitsburg.-History:...
. Fire Corps is managed on a national level by the National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Volunteer Fire Council is the leading 501 nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services...
in partnership with an advisory committee made up of national fire service organizations. This National Advisory Committee provides valuable input, critical feedback, and supplementary ideas as to the direction of the program.
The National Advisory Committee is made up of the following organizations:
- Congressional Fire Services Institute
- Fire Department Safety Officers Association
- International Association of Arson InvestigatorsInternational Association of Arson InvestigatorsThe International Association of Arson Investigators is a professional association of individuals who conduct fire investigations. The IAAI provides resources for training, research, and technology for fire investigators around the world. It is based in Crofton, Maryland.-External links:* -...
- International Association of Black Professional Fire FightersInternational Association of Black Professional FirefightersThe International Association of Black Professional Firefighters represents more than 5000 fire service personnel throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, organized in 96 chapters....
- International Association of Fire FightersInternational Association of Fire FightersThe International Association of Fire Fighters is a labor union representing professional firefighters in the United States and Canada. The IAFF was formed in 1918 and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress in Canada. The IAFF is headquartered in...
- International Association of Fire ChiefsInternational Association of Fire ChiefsThe International Association of Fire Chiefs is a network of more than 12,000 chief fire and emergency officers. The Association was established in 1873. The Executive Director is Mark W. Light. The Deputy Executive Director is Mary Beth Michos...
- International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services
- International Fire Service Training AssociationInternational Fire Service Training AssociationInternational Fire Service Training Association is an association of fire service personnel who are dedicated to upgrading fire fighting techniques and safety through training. The mission of IFSTA is to identify areas of need for training materials and to foster the development and validation of...
- International Society of Fire Service Instructors
- National Association of Hispanic Firefighters
- National Association of State Fire Marshals
- National Fire Protection AssociationNational Fire Protection AssociationThe National Fire Protection Association is a United States trade association that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments...
- National Volunteer Fire CouncilNational Volunteer Fire CouncilNational Volunteer Fire Council is the leading 501 nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services...
- North American Fire Training Directors
- Volunteers in Police ServiceVolunteers in Police ServiceThe Volunteers in Police Service is a volunteer program that provides volunteer assistance to local police. The program is managed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in partnership with the White House Office of the USA Freedom Corps and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office...