Volunteer Fire Commission
The Fairfax County Volunteer Fire Commission is a long-standing advisory group whose members are elected by the volunteer fire organizations and affirmed by the Board of Supervisors to represent the 12 volunteer fire and rescue departments.
The primary mission is of the Volunteer Fire Commission is to “Assume responsibility for considering and dealing with all issues related to the Volunteer Organization. This includes responsibility for the development and contribution of a volunteer officer program integrated into the overall fire department officer structure, with responsibly for volunteer officers both in the volunteer stations and on the fire ground. In fulfilling this mission, the group will serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Supervisors on Volunteer matters and will report to the Board of Supervisors annually on its activities. The Commission will deal directly with the volunteers and will work with the Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department through the Volunteer Liaison on the staff of the department.”
Major concerns with which the Volunteer Fire Commission should deal include the following matters:
- Encourage the creation of an environment conducive to participation by volunteers in the Fire and Rescue Department
- Ensure that a productive program of recruitment, training, and support for volunteers is developed and implemented
- Conduct a community relations program designed to familiarize citizens with volunteer opportunities and to explain the significance of the Fire and Rescue Department’s dual system
- Apprise the Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department, through the Volunteer Liaison, of existing or potential problems related to volunteer participation and, to the extent feasible, seek solutions to such problems
- Deal with any issues, as required, which relate to the volunteer Organizations.
