JAMESTOWN
FIRE DEPARTMENT
JFD Overview/FAQ
The foundation of the Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department is its volunteers. We are one department with 2 divisions (FIRE and EMS) with different responsibilities that support each other on a daily basis. Many of our volunteers serve in both divisions. Here are some of the more Frequently Asked Questions we hear from potential new volunteers.
How does the Fire Division Operate and where do volunteers help?
How does the EMS Division Operate and where do volunteers help?
Can I help without going into burning buildings?
Where would I fit? Who are your typical volunteers?
What would be my commitment to the department?
How is the department structured/organized?
How does the Fire Division Operate and where do volunteers help?
The FIRE division supports a wide range of calls (fires, motor vehicle accidents, EMS support, technical rescues, searches, etc...) for Jamestown and the supporting communities as needed for mutual aid. We have 3 fire pumper/engines, a ladder truck and 2 tankers. Additionally, we have vehicles for water emergencies (pump-outs), forest fires, as well as 2 boats to support marine emergencies. We are working to establish a UAV/drone capability.
The JFD FIRE division is completely volunteer
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​Volunteers can start in the Training Academy at the age of 15. Volunteers cannot attain full membership on a company until the age of 18. There are no experience requirements to volunteer.
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New volunteers will join the Training Company and complete a one year training academy in order to become familiar/comfortable with all aspects of the duties they may be asked to perform. Department-wide trainings are conducted every Thursday night. The Training Officers will coordinate a series of classroom and hands-on training over the course of the year
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Each fire company (3 engine companies, a ladder company, and the tanker company) consist of volunteer members who respond to emergency calls when they are notified by their personal pager. The emergency paging system is activated from emergency calls dispatched from the Jamestown Police Department.
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Contact the below to sign up or have any additional quest
Fire Training Captain Christian Tiexiera (ctiexiera@jamestownfd.com)
Deputy Chief Ron Barber (rbarber@jamestownfd.com)
How does the EMS Division Operate and where do volunteers help?
​​​The EMS division supports Emergency Medical calls for Jamestown and the supporting communities as needed for mutual aid. We have 2 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescues and 1 Basic Life Support (BLS) Rescue.
The JFD EMS division staffs a duty crew to respond to EMS emergencies in Jamestown 24/7/365.
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Each day is divided into 3 shifts (0600-1200; 1200-1800; and 1800-0600)
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Each duty crew consists of 1 volunteer driver, 2 volunteer EMTs, and a paid, experienced ALS provider.
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Volunteers must have a valid RI EMT License. JFD offers EMT classes once/year in the Fall. You do not need to be a Jamestown resident to volunteer with the EMT division
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New volunteers will complete a training/introduction period (running with the duty crew as a "student"). We're happy to accept volunteers with an existing EMS license. The training/introduction period is based on experience. None required! Upon completion, you'll be scheduled on a shift as your schedule permits.
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Contact the below to sign up or have any additional questions
Chief Howie Tighe (htighe@jamestownfd.com)
Fire Training Captain Christian Tiexiera (ctiexiera@jamestownfd.com)
EMS Captain Dave Reardon (dreardon@jamestownfd.com)
Can I help without going into burning buildings
​​​We are a volunteer organization and understand that not everyone is interested in going into burning buildings, climbing a 100' ladder, and rappelling off the bridge or the cliffs. If you are ... great, you will be trained on how to do any/all of that. But, we also need volunteers to drive the tankers, to run the pump at a fire, to help put up ladders, to help coordinate social events or CPR classes, and a whole host of tasks that this 100+ member organization needs to run day-to-day.The EMS division supports Emergency Medical calls for Jamestown and the supporting communities as needed for mutual aid. We have 2 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescues and 1 Basic Life Support (BLS) Rescue.
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Contact the below to sign up or have any additional questions
Chief Howie Tighe (htighe@jamestownfd.com)
Fire Training Captain Christian Tiexiera (ctiexiera@jamestownfd.com)
Where would I fit? Who are your typical volunteers?
​​​Our volunteer members have a wide varitety of backgrounds, interests, and capabilities. We currently have about 100 members, ranging in age from 16 to almost 90 years old. Professionally, our volunteers include local business owners, engineers working in the defense industry, landscapers, builders, realtors, medical technicians, computer programmers, safety specialists, nurses, college professors, and more. We also have more than a dozen professional fire fighters who started as volunteers with JFD and have returned to actively help their community as volunteers.
Some of our volunteers joined when they were young to provide community service (and strengthen their college application) and learn a lot of life skills. Others joined later in life, after the kids are done with soccer and scouts, to help the community with their new found "free time". We have several families (kids and parents) in the department that signed up as a family adventure.
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We can always us help and are confident we can find a fit for your skills, interest, and time.
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Contact the below to sign up or have any additional questions
Chief Howie Tighe (htighe@jamestownfd.com)
Deputy Chief Ron Barber (rbarber@jamestownfd.com)
What would be my commitment to the department?
​​​We are a volunteer organization and understand that individuals ability to come will vary. If you are willing to volunteer we'll work with you to make this work.
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As and EMS volunteer, our hope is that you could commit to one shift a week. EMS is based on scheduled shifts. If you can do more, great!
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On the FIRE side, our hope is that you could regularly attend the Thursday night Training Company trainings, complete the program, and be assigned to a company. However, we understand vacations and work obligations, etc. and will work with you to accomodate your availability to complete the training program as makes sense.
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How is the department structured/organized?
The Jamestown Fire Department consists of a FIRE and EMS Division operating under the Chief with subsequent break-out as described here
Chief of the Fire Department: (Howie Tighe)
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3 Deputy Chiefs - one of which is in charge of the EMS Division
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EMS Division has a Director, Captain, and Lieutenant, responsible for EMS operations and onboarding/training new EMS volunteers
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Fire Division has 3 Engine Companies, a Ladder Company, and a Tanker Company. Each Company has a Captain and Lieutenant. Additionally, the Fire Training Company has a Captain and Lieutenant, responsible for onboarding new Fire volunteers
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