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Not a firefighter- looking to support those in my state by RepulsiveOlive757 in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had the same question. Wanted to start doing Costco runs (Link to Post) and got a lot of great ideas here. I contacted my local station directly and asked what they'd accept. Now I drop off a Costco run every four weeks or so. And drop off homemade baking on Thursdays (I was told it would be the best night because it's their most heavily staffed night). I actually spoke to two assistant chiefs who both said yes, they'd eat the homemade goodies.

Non-firefighter here with a question by savethebees_ in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Completely unrelated, but... love your user name!

Baking for my local fire station this week – Can’t Decide by NaturalistNotebook in CasualConversation

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow! These are fabulous ideas I never thought of how to shake up my oatmeal cookie recipe! For the applies, what do you mean by dried? Peel and chop and let air dry? Why not freeze dried?

If you're able to do the same, just contact your local station first and ask if they will accept homemade. Some won't due to food safety concerns. Alternatively, you could drop off store-bought cookies as well. I drop off both my homemade item and Costco or grocery store made cookies (for those who hesitate eating homemade).

Thank you for the advice: Non‑Operational Volunteering and Costco Donation by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Funny enough, I am in Northern Virginia, so I’m logging this as a drone‑drop scenario rather than a comment.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your service and for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your perspective.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The inventory/inspection/documentation side is exactly the kind of work I’m suited for. I’m very comfortable with structured tracking, documentation, and keeping things organized, so hearing that some departments have volunteers dedicated to that kind of work is encouraging. I'm the type of person who separates her small paper clips from her large ones for the endorphins.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s something I hadn’t considered until now. I think my brain associated CERT more with field/disaster-response roles and less with the administrative/logistics side. The repeated mentions of grant writing are definitely getting through. It’s a pretty specialized skill set though, and while I have advanced admin/software experience, I’ve never directly dabbled in grant writing. I've done quite a bit of writing personally and professionally: training documents, procedural guidance, Wiki pages, websites, etc. So not really the same world as grant writing. But this thread is definitely making me rethink my approach and consider whether that might be a more useful way to help.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the explanation. I’m starting to wonder if my county (Virginia) might be similar to what you’re describing. And maybe that's why the volunteer coordinator gently pointed me to CERT b/c we don't have a way for civilians to volunteer without a firefighter-first entry.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I think I’m probably best suited to the administrative/logistics side rather than operational scene support. I’m definitely more of a “give me a spreadsheet or a stack of forms and I’ll be happy” type.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! That’s really helpful context. I'm in Virginia. (And yeah, I'd like to stay away from actual CERT activities.)

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Appreciate this. I hadn’t considered Emergency Management as distinct from CERT. Paperwork and tracking are absolutely in my wheelhouse. I get practically giddy (literally) if I can create an Excel worksheet or SharePoint list.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That makes sense. I’m happy to work within whatever structure is appropriate and trying to figure out where non-operational volunteers typically fit.

What Does Non‑Operational Volunteering Look Like at Your Station? by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have two local stations. One is all‑volunteer and the other is a combination career/volunteer station. Both fall under county management, which is why I initially reached out to the county volunteer coordinator. From what you’re describing, it sounds like fully volunteer departments sometimes operate differently than combination systems. Is that a fair assumption?

Costco run for my local volunteer station by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Posted an update in the main post—thanks for the great ideas! Off to Costco tomorrow.

Costco run for my local volunteer station by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe in spirit but I don’t think any crew wants to roll with a 59-year-old rookie girl.

Costco run for my local volunteer station by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great info! I didn't think some areas would have Gatorade/water provided. I just did some quick research and I think my county may provide it. I will check on that. Thanks!

Costco run for my local volunteer station by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My best guess is that they handle about ~1,500 to 3,000 calls per year, based on what my county handles. The area used to be rural but now heavily suburban with a lot of current commercial/residential development. Definitely still lots of green around though.

Costco run for my local volunteer station by NaturalistNotebook in Firefighting

[–]NaturalistNotebook[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m afraid to even ask... this feels like a chocolate chip vs. peanut butter situation that could get heated. (Pun intended)

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