Fulfill Childhood Dreams; Become a Sussex Firefighter

What little boy didn’t dream of becoming a firefighter when they grew up? Not to mention, Careerbuilder.com listed firefighting as the fourth sexiest job in the U.S.

That being said, the Sussex Fire Department is looking for five eager residents to become the village’s next volunteer fire fighters. The positions are paid and the volunteers are on call once every five days.

Sussex Fire Chief Colin “Corky” Curtis said he encourages everyone to apply, because being a firefighter is so much more than fighting the flames.

“Most calls aren’t even for fires, they’re for (emergency medical services),” Curtis said. “You’re helping your neighbor. If you called right now, it’s probably your neighbor that would respond. It’s a great learning experience and a way to give back to your community.”

Curtis said the department ran 638 calls last year, and 80 percent of them were for non-fire emergencies like heart attacks, car accidents and hazardous material spills. In addition, the Sussex Fire Department helps with public education, fire safety seminars, CPR training and other activities. 

Becoming a volunteer firefighter is a great way to get involved and do something truly meaningful for the community.

Sussex fire fighters are “paid-on-call” which means they’re paid for hours they spend responding to emergencies, attending weekly drills or going to school to improve their skills.

“The volunteers are paid based on their level of experience, but you’re paid normally starting at like $8 an hour,” said Curtis. “But with each certification class, you get a raise with that. So we send people to classes like firefighter certification, EMT training and officer classes. Our top paid person $14.52 with all certifications.”

According to Curtis, becoming a volunteer firefighter is a great way to get involved and do something truly meaningful for the community.

To find out how you can get involved with the Sussex Fire Department, call 246-5197 for more information.