Volunteer

Howard County Department of Fire & Rescue Services considers itself to be a "combination" fire department, made up of career and volunteer firefighters. The Elkridge (Station 1), Ellicott City (Stations 2 & 8), West Friendship (Station 3), Lisbon (Station 4), Clarksville (Station 5), and Savage (Station 6) fire stations are considered volunteer corporations. Although most of these stations have full-time career personnel around the clock to staff apparatus, volunteers operate the station. Volunteers are provided training, equipment, and uniforms. Individual corporations have their own training, fundraising, and riding requirements.

Fire stations operated by the County are Banneker (Station 7), Long Reach (Station 9), Rivers Park (Station 10), and Scaggsville (Station 11). County volunteers may ride at any County fire station and like the volunteer corporations are provided training, equipment, and uniforms.

Whether you want to be a "corporate" or "county" volunteer is entirely up to the individual. Geography and call volume, among many other factors, will usually influence where someone wishes to volunteer. If you are undecided, contact the station to do a ride-along.