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RECRUITMENT
VOLUNTEER PERSONNEL
The Union Bridge Fire Company is a non-profit volunteer organization that is constantly looking for new volunteers. In this organization, there are many different ways that you can volunteer. You can either join to respond on emergency incidents to help the citizens of the community or you can join to help with fundraising to support the responders. In either case, your help would be very valuable to our organization and the community.
If your not sure about joining our organization, just take a look at some of the benefits offered for volunteering your time and services to the fire company. Additional frequently asked questions and answers are also included on this page. If, after reading the information below, you still need additional information about how you can help this communities local fire company, you can call the fire station at (410) 775-7422, email us at co8@ubfc8.org or stop by the fire station.
What are the benefits to being a volunteer with the Union Bridge Fire Company?
The biggest benefit to membership in this fire company, is that of self-esteem. The desire to help our citizens and the community during emergencies or situations that they do not know how to handle themselves and/or the desire to support the emergency responders; are two other major reasons why most of our members belong to this company. Those who desire to help people during their time of need, will be or have been, required to take extensive training and maintain their certifications. Those who wish to support the responders by raising funds to help purchase equipment, apparatus and more; can do so by helping with fundraisers like the carnival, banquets and other fundraising events. In any case, those who help the fire company also help the community.
Being a member of the fire company may come with some financial benefits too. For instance, there is a retirement program called LOSAP (Length Of Service Achievement Program). This county/state program originated right here in Union Bridge many years ago and has since expanded to nearly every other fire company in the state of Maryland. The requirements are simple. Points are accrued throughout each calendar year depending on the time and type of service you provide. As long as you maintain 50 points each year over a 25 year time period, you will receive a monthly retirement check (Currently $150) after age 60. For every year beyond that, while maintaining 50 points per year, you receive an additional monthly stipend (Currently $8/month). So, if you provide 30 years of service, maintaining 50 points per year, your monthly LOSAP check would be $190. Though it doesn't seem like much, this income would be in addition to your own personal retirement income and social security.
Other benefits of being a member may include an annual banquet/picnic that provides members a great meal and recognizes those who have made great achievements for the company and the community; free food for those who work meal-type fundraisers; the opportunity to make new friends; free college level emergency services training provided by MIEMSS (Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System) and MFRI (Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute); a first step into the possibility of making emergency services a career; free annual medical physicals for responders; inter-departmental advancement opportunities and most importantly, the opportunity to do something good for your community.
What kind of training do I need to respond on emergencies?
Depending on the path of service you wish to volunteer doing, EMS or Fire/Rescue, will directly effect what training is needed to respond on emergencies. Our Constitution and By-Laws (Rules of the Company) require that if you are going to be an 'Active Responding' member, you must be in either an EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician - Basic) course or a Firefighter I course within your first year of service with the fire company and that you must successfully complete the course chosen. Failure to complete this obligation, may result in termination from membership or a change in membership status.
Before riding any apparatus, you must successfully complete a Haz-Mat Awareness and Operations class, a Blood-borne Pathogens class, obtain a department authorized medical physical and complete either the Firefighter I mid-term before being allowed to ride as an 'observer' on fire apparatus or complete the EMT-B mid-term and be qualified to ride as an 'observer' on the ambulance. Once the Firefighter I course or the EMT-B course has been successfully completed, you can respond on emergencies as an 'Active Responding' member on either the fire apparatus or the ambulance.
What happens after I turn in my application?
After we receive your application, our 'Board of Directors' examines it to insure that it has be properly completed. They in-turn, present your application to the company membership at the next regular monthly meeting which is held on the first Tuesday of each month. The application is then held by the 'Board of Directors', who will contact you to set up a date and time to interview you. After the interview, the 'Board of Directors' then decides on a recommendation of either Active, Inactive or Not Recommended. This recommendation will be presented to the Company at the next regular company meeting. Depending on the recommendation, each qualified member of the organization that is attending the meeting, will vote either yes or no.
What happens if I am voted into the Company?
If you receive enough yes votes to be accepted into the Company, you will be notified immediately. If you are at the fire station on the night of the vote, you will be allowed to attend the rest of the meeting after the vote has been taken. The 'Board of Directors' will notify and advise you on issues concerning your new 'Probationary' membership.
What happens if I am NOT voted into the Company?
Though this is an extremely rare situation, our Company relies on the opinions of each individual member of this Company and the ballots are considered 'secret ballots'. This means, that when the ballots are counted, no one counting the ballots knows who voted yes or no. With this form of voting, a specific reason may not accompany the final decision, therefore, when notified by the 'Board of Directors', they will only advise you outcome of the vote.
What is a 'Probationary" membership?
ALL new members are classified as 'Probationary Members' for a period of one (1) year after being accepted into the Company. 'Probationary Members' are not permitted to vote on any Company business during this one (1) year period. Also, if at anytime, you fail to meet the requirements of the Constitution and By-Laws of this Company, your membership can be terminated. More information will be provided to you concerning your membership requirements, by the 'Board of Directors' of the Company.
What am I required to do to maintain my membership?
There are only a couple of things that you must do to maintain your membership. First, there are annual membership dues of $5 for 'Active' members; that must be paid by the end of February each year. The money from these dues, helps to offset costs associated with your membership. Those that are 'In-Active' members, must pay a $10 annual membership fee which also must be paid by the end of February each year. If you fail to pay your annual dues, your membership will be evaluated by the 'Board of Directors'. Second, 'Active' members must obtain 20 LOSAP points annually to remain an 'Active' member. If you fail to obtain 20 points, your membership will be evaluated for movement to 'In-Active' membership by the 'Board of Directors'.
APPLICATION for MEMBERSHIP
If you are ready to join our organization, you can print the form below. Click on the application image below to open a pdf version of the application to print from your computer. Complete the entire application and return it, along with the $5 application fee to the fire station. A member of our 'Board of Directors' will contact you to set up an interview date and time.
PAID PERSONNEL
We are not currently accepting applications at this time.
The Union Bridge Fire Company employs several different positions in EMS and Fire/Rescue. Currently, we provide a 24/7/365 EMS system to our community. We employ both BLS Providers(Drivers) and ALS Providers as full-time and part-time employees. The full-time EMS shifts are on a 24/72 rotation (4 Shifts). Full-time employees receive limited benefits including health care, vacation and sick time. Part-time EMS shifts cover vacant 12 or 24 hour shifts. We also have part-time Engineer positions that work 8 hour days, 7AM to 3PM, Monday through Friday.
Position Qualification Requirements
EMS - BLS Provider
Qualifications:
- 21 years of age
- Class "C" Drivers License (Must Provide Certified Driving Record with Application)
- Previous Emergency Driving Experience (EVOC Preferred)
- Maryland Licensed EMT-B (Current)
- Haz-Mat Operations Certified
- MFRI Firefighter I
- MFRI Rescue Technician
- Must be capable of lifting a minimum of 100 lbs on a regular basis
- Current 'Carroll County Physical Examination' (or obtain after apointment)
Additional Preferred Qualifications:
- MFRI Firefighter II
- Class "B" (Non-Commercial) Drivers License
EMS - ALS Provider
Qualifications:
- 21 years of age
- Class "C" Drivers License (Must Provide Certified Driving Record with Application)
- Previous Emergency Driving Experience (EVOC Preferred)
- Maryland Licensed EMT-I or EMT-P (Current)
- Haz-Mat Operations Certified
- Must be capable of lifting a minimum of 100 lbs on a regular basis
- Current 'Carroll County Physical Examination' (or obtain after apointment)
Additional Preferred Qualifications:
- MFRI or Pro-Board Firefighter I
- MFRI or Pro-Board Rescue Technician
FIRE - Engineer
Qualifications:
- 21 years of age
- Class "B" (Non-Commercial) Drivers License (Must Provide Certified Driving Record with Application)
- Previous Emergency Driving Experience (EVOC Preferred)
- Maryland Licensed EMT-B (Current)
- Haz-Mat Operations Certified
- MFRI Firefighter II
- MFRI Pump Operations or FADO-Pumper
- MFRI Rescue Technician
- Must be capable of lifting a minimum of 100 lbs on a regular basis
- Current 'Carroll County Physical Examination (or obtain after apointment)
Additional Preferred Qualifications:
If you are qualified and interesting in being an employee of the Union Bridge Fire Company, watch for employment opportunities on our home page. Email questions about employment to: employmentubfc@ubfc8.org
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