Become a North Stormont Firefighter

Joining the volunteer firefighting community

• Expected Commitments when joining the fire department

  Volunteer firefighting requires significant time and energy. Here’s what you and your family can typically expect:

  •    Training & Meetings: Prepare for bi-weekly or monthly training sessions and department meetings. New recruits often undergo intensive training in the first year to become certified. Ongoing education and skills maintenance continue throughout your service.

  •    Pager Response: There is no set on-call schedule. Volunteers are expected to respond to their pagers when available. Calls can come at any time – day or night – which may mean leaving dinner, a family outing, or even waking up in the middle of the night. The expectation is not 100% attendance, but a consistent minimum level of participation to support the department.

  •    Physical & Mental Demands: Firefighting is physically intense and mentally challenging. Volunteers may return home tired or emotionally impacted by what they experienced. Families may need to support recovery time.

  •    Unpredictability: Calls can come at inconvenient times. Family plans might be interrupted with little notice. Flexibility is essential.
   

• Plan for the long term

  Consider whether you and your family are prepared for this lifestyle long-term. While not every call will be answered, consistency matters. Fire departments invest time and training in new recruits and hope for lasting service. The experience can be incredibly rewarding, with opportunities to build deep bonds and give back to the community.

  Family as Part of the Decision: Involving your family in the decision to volunteer ensures better understanding and support. Their buy-in makes it easier to manage the inevitable interruptions and time away.

  Rewards and Community: Beyond challenges, volunteer firefighting brings pride, purpose, and camaraderie. Fire departments often foster a family-like culture, and your family may be welcomed into community events, BBQs, and station open houses. Many children and spouses take pride in the firefighter’s role.

• Tips for family support

  Respect the Mission: Emergencies are never convenient. When the pager goes off, it means someone needs help. Even when it’s disruptive, remember why they’re going.
  •    Stay Flexible and Avoid Blame: Interruptions will happen. Try not to direct frustration toward your firefighter. Focus on expressing appreciation and finding shared solutions when plans change or emotions run high.
  •    Have a “Continue Later” Plan: If dinner or a family activity is interrupted, agree to resume it once the firefighter returns.
  •    Support Each Other’s Roles: Firefighters juggle responsibilities between home and department. Balance is key. Express gratitude for each other’s support.
  •    Join the Fire Family: Attend fire department family events when possible. Connecting with other fire families can offer shared understanding and support.
  •    Acknowledge Special Occasions: Birthdays, holidays, and other milestones may sometimes be disrupted. Plan ahead to celebrate at alternate times if needed, and reassure children that their special day is still important, even if celebrated a little differently. When possible, invite extended family or friends to join in celebrations so that the occasion feels supported and joyful, even if the firefighter has to leave unexpectedly.
  •    Communicate Openly: Talk regularly about how everyone is coping with the schedule and lifestyle. Celebrate achievements and discuss concerns constructively.
   

• Annual family conversation: Planning the year ahead

  Once a year (or more often), sit down as a family to review the firefighter’s commitment and how it fits into family life. This check-in can help prevent misunderstandings and maintain balance.
  Topics to Cover:
  •    Upcoming training nights, known events, and calendar planning
  •    Important family events and how to manage conflicts
  •    What worked and what didn’t in the past year
  •    How everyone is feeling about the commitment
  •    Ideas to maintain quality time as a family
  Having this conversation sets shared expectations and reinforces that the family is a team.

• When duty calls: Your family notification plan

  Emergencies don’t wait, so when the pager goes off, firefighters may need to leave without warning. Having a simple family notification plan helps reduce stress. If you have young children, consider identifying someone in your support network who can step in to help with childcare or pickup if needed during a call.
  Tips:
  •    Agree on a quick way to signal you’re leaving (e.g., a short phrase or eye contact)
  •    Keep gear in a consistent, accessible place
  •    If needed, send a short text after arriving at the station, when safe
  •    If available, set up automatic text alerts or quick-send messages to notify loved ones when heading to a call
  •    Make sure children know that their parent is going to help someone, and that they will return as soon as possible
  •    After returning, reconnect with your family, resume interrupted activities when possible, and share time together

• Mental health and wellness

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  Firefighting can be mentally and emotionally taxing. In fact, due to the challenges of juggling multiple roles — including work, family, and fire service responsibilities — volunteer firefighting can sometimes feel more demanding than a full-time position. Therefore, supporting each other’s well-being is vital.
  Creating small rituals or routines can help smooth the transition between responding to a call and returning to family or work life. This could be as simple as taking a few quiet minutes alone, changing clothes, or having a quick check-in with a partner. These moments help reset the nervous system and signal to the mind and body that you're moving from emergency response back into daily life.

  Strategies:
  •    Allow for post-call decompression time
  •    Create space to talk about difficult calls when ready. If discussing with family members, avoid sharing graphic or detailed content. Instead, talk about the emotional impact in general terms—such as saying it was a difficult day—and communicate what support or space you might need in that moment.
  •    Watch for signs of stress or burnout (in both the firefighter and family), such as irritability, withdrawal, trouble sleeping, feeling overwhelmed, or loss of interest in usual activities
  •    Prioritize rest, nutrition, physical activity, and connection
  •    Encourage professional support if needed (e.g., peer support, counseling)
  Mental health is a family matter. Staying connected and supportive helps everyone stay strong.