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Whatcom County Fire District #8
752 Marine Dr Bellingham, WA (360) 733-6612
When a member is initially accepted, they are brought on as a recruit/probationary firefighter. New recruits are issued a full set of equipment, which includes a station uniform, coat, t-shirt, hat and a pager, charger. New recruits are also issued a set of structural firefighting bunker gear, and various accessories to be used in conjunction with their bunker gear. Most new recruits will attend the Whatcom County Fire Chiefs Association Recruit Academy Class. This course is an intense 186-hour, 10-week course that is absolutely essential for all new members that builds a strong foundation of “basic training” for you to grow from. Upon completion and graduation of the Whatcom County Fire Chiefs Association Recruit Academy Class, a recruit will be enrolled in an Emergency Medical Technician course. This is also a condition of a recruit’s probation. New members are not responsible to pay for these classes. The department will pay all registration costs for both the Recruit Academy and the EMT course. A new member’s only initial responsibility will be to give 100% effort in all that they do. The Whatcom County Fire Chiefs Association Recruit Academy Class and the EMT course’s are very time consuming and will occupy much of your spare time while you are enrolled. This is a large commitment, and because of this you will not be required to attend normal department training while enrolled in the Recruit Academy or EMT course. However, upon completing these courses you will be held to the normal training standards of the department. The department conducts training every Wednesday Night at 7 pm (1900 hrs.). It is a requirement that all members participate in a minimum of two fire related training sessions and one EMS training per month, as well as all mandatory training. This helps us ensure that you are maintaining your EMS and fire suppression skills. However, it is strongly encourage that members attend all training sessions the department offers. In order to ensure constant EMS and fire coverage for our community, Whatcom County Fire District 8 has established a Shift Resident program. In this program, each member will be assigned to a colored-shift. That shift is then responsible for designated calendar dates throughout the entire year. It averages out to approximately four overnight duty shifts each month. During the duty shifts members stay at Station 1, and during a members probationary period it is required that new members spend shifts with more seasoned members. An average probationary period may last approximately 12 months, however, we do not pressure a new member to rush into meeting this deadline. Ultimately we want a new members department education to flow smoothly, and to gain as much as possible from the schooling. We are much more interested in the quality of the education as opposed to the speed at which it is completed. Granted, there is a tremendous amount to learn, but keep in mind that when you become a member of our team, your team members are more than willing to help you reach your goals. We are here to provide the best possible service to our community, and do it in the safest manner possible. We feel confident that with the training that is provide to a new member, they will be able to do just that. If you are interested in applying for a position within the department please download the information below. Thank you again for inquiring with Whatcom County Fire District 8. All information below is in PDF format.
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