Becoming a Member
Welcome!
We're excited to hear from you and glad you're considering joining our team! Below we describe the general process of applying to the department and what to expect along the way, but if you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact recruiting@cooperstownfd.org to say hello.
About the Organization
The Cooperstown Fire Department is organized to save lives, suppress and control fires, provide emergency medical services, provide fire prevention education, hazardous materials response, water/ice rescue, public assistance during natural emergencies and other activities as deemed in the best interest of the Department or citizens of our community.
The Fire Department is a Village fire department and is 100% Volunteer. As such, when activated, members are technically unpaid village employees for the purpose of Workmen's Compensation Insurance Coverage. As such, we'll need to ask you about your personal health history and coordinate health care appointments with the NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH).
How to Apply
Submitting a Completed Application Packet
The most important step to getting the ball rolling is to complete and return our Application Packet that asks you to:
provide basic demographic information about your address, contact info, and profession
select your departmental specialization/s: (Fire & Rescue, Fire Police, Emergency Squad, and Fire Corps)
consent to a background check
receive (or request) sponsorship of an existing member
provide any additional information about your previous experience in emergency response
note any relevant health history
Once you have completed the packet, you can submit it digitally (by emailing recruiting@cooperstownfd.org) or by printing and mailing the packet to 'P.O. Box 1 at Cooperstown, NY 13326'.
Additional Registration
Acceptance as a probationary member requires a number of steps that can take some time:
a background check
an affirmative departmental vote at one of our monthly meetings
While this is happening, there are steps you can take to fulfill the initial requirements needed by all members:
Register with FEMA for a FEMA Student Identification Number (FEMA SID).
Go through a few hours of online material in the ICS Resource Center to gain certification in NIMS and ICS
Depending on your area/s of interest we'll try to assign you someone to guide you through any additional training that may be required. You can always send us a follow-up email if you're not sure what to do next.
Initial Training/Certifications
It is a requirement for all members (regardless of specialty) to obtain the following certified training in:
Basic Life Support (BLS) and/or CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
Nationwide FEMA emergency protocols (NIMS and ICS) from the ICS Resource Center.
Proof of these completed certifications will need to be filed by the department and should be sent in (by the same method) as they are completed, after you have applied.
What to Expect Afterward
The process of confirming and voting on your membership can take some time, but you are encouraged to contact us if you have questions.
After the background check is completed and all the prerequisites are met, you can expect the following:
invitation to a public department meeting at which your probationary membership will be voted upon
an onboarding process begun with your sponsor, towards your chosen specialty (including discussions of upcoming trainings/courses)
the acquisition of gear to prepare you for fulfilling that specialty (pager, radio, clothing, mask/s etc) and be onboarded into the specialty of your choosing.
The initial period of membership in the department is considered "probationary". You will be invited to general membership events, meetings, emergency calls, and drills, but will not be able to participate in votes or decisions of governance.
Promotion from your "probationary" status is contingent upon a number of factors your sponsor should explain (related to activity/level-of-interest, duration-of-service, and completion of training). After these conditions are met, a vote is held in a departmental meeting to approve your full membership and your subsequent rights to participate in departmental votes and later office will grow.