Paid-Per-Call Firefighter

Ellis County Fire Department (ECFD) paid-per-call firefighters respond to fires, rescues, medical assists, hazardous conditions, and other related emergencies. A paid-per-call firefighter requires a significant amount of teamwork when working on emergency scenes to conducting regular fire company activities. Our firefighters work under the direct supervision of company officers to include a company chief.

Each firefighter understands they represent a larger ECFD organization and shall act, train, perform duties in such a way that they demonstrate pride and ownership in their department. An ECFD firefighters should have excellent interpersonal communication skills as they are expected to have direct contact with different public safety officials, the community, as well as fire and rescue victims. ECFD firefighters must be able to make quick decisions, take calculated risks, and take immediate actions on emergency scenes while maintaining safety in these actions.

Volunteer Firefighter Duties and Responsibilities

The main role of our firefighters is to assist our community and its citizens when they are in distress, rescue victims from difference scenarios and extinguish fires as quickly and safely as possible. To accomplish this, our firefighters are trained in a wide variety of tasks. Firefighters are required to complete the following duties:

• Ability to work in confined and/or high spaces. To include areas that may include extreme heat/cold, wet environments, and limited visibility while in full protective gear including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
• Work on a variety of emergency scenes to include wildland, brush, and structure fires. Firefighters must be able to use a variety of tools, ladders and other equipment to prevent fires from spreading. Firefighters must be able to climb ladders wear and use SCBA.
• Firefighters will become proficient to perform technical rescue duties, and to administer first aid when needed.
• Conduct maintenance and inventories on their assigned fire apparatus, equipment and personal protective gear. This includes cleaning, checking, and washing equipment after calls for service.
• Have the ability to carry equipment up to 100 pounds, as well as to remove by dragging or carrying victims and equipment into or from dangerous environments. Tasks performed may include operating power saws on ladders, removing walls and ceilings, pulling fire hose lines, operating hydraulic rescue tools. A firefighter must be able to conduct these physically demanding tasks over a period of time and with minimal breaks with quick recovery time.

ECFD Mission

“The Ellis County Fire Department will serve our community with pride and professionalism by providing quality emergency services, acting with respect and bringing honor to our community, department, and family at all times."

Firefighters are required to complete basic NIMS courses, maintain CPR/First aid certification, hazardous materials awareness, attend 75% of scheduled monthly trainings, and report to their assigned companies when available for emergency responses. ECFD firefighters must read, understand, and abide by the ECFD standard operating procedures. Before firefighters are able to respond and/or drive apparatus to emergencies, firefighters are to complete an in-house training program. ECFD firefighters must be 18 years of age with a valid driver’s license.