What does a volunteer firefighter or medical emergency responder do?
Firefighters respond to emergency calls from their home to the fire station. From the fire station they head to the site of the emergency. Emergency calls include structure fires, car accidents, alarms, etc.
First Responders respond from their home to the location of the medical emergency.
Who can be a volunteer firefighter or medical emergency responder?
Anyone with the desire to help others in their time of need and meet the following requirements: Possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license, no theft convictions, no drug related convictions, not currently on probation.
Currently, anyone under the age of 18 is encouraged to apply, however, they are not able to complete the state fire testing until they are 18 years old.
Current firefighters/first responders with the Kronenwetter Fire Department include men and woman with a varying range of occupations including truck drivers, physician assistants, professionals, and laborers. Some have been on the department for 20+ years and some have just started. Some joined the department when they were young and others did not join until they were older and their children had moved out on their own.
What are the minimum requirements to join as a volunteer firefighter or medical emergency responder?
Possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license, no theft convictions, no drug related convictions, not currently on probation. Be able to pass a medical exam/drug screening and pass a criminal background check.
Do volunteers receive compensation?
Yes – As firefighters or first responders with the Kronenwetter Fire Department, we are paid an hourly rate per call as well as a training hourly rate for any training/meetings attended.
What training is required once I am hired? Am I paid for training?
To become a firefighter there is a FF1 course that we will pay for you to attend through the Wisconsin Technical college system. That course is currently 96 hours plus an additional 24 hours of Hazmat Operations. These courses usually run 1 or 2 nights a week for a full semester.
To become an emergency medical responder you will need to take the EMR course offered through the Wisconsin Technical College system. This course is currently approximately 70 hours. You do NOT have to be both a firefighter and an emergency medical responder – you can do one or the other or you can do both.
How much time is required?
The department fire training is twice a month from 6:00 p.m. to approximately 9:00 p.m..
Medical personnel also train twice a month 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. There are sometimes other training/event opportunities that you can attend.
You are paid for your training hours.
What are the benefits?
The biggest benefit is the reward of personal satisfaction of helping others during their time of need. You will also learn new skills, make new friends, gain experiences, and open yourself up to new opportunities.
Why would I want to be a volunteer firefighter or medical emergency responder for the Village of Kronenwetter?
To help your community, family, friends neighbors, co-workers and anyone else in need.
Are there advancement opportunities?
There is always room for advancement. There are multiple training structures that you can take through the technical college system – example: Firefighter 2, Fire Inspector, Fire Officer, etc…
What's the department structure?
The current structure of the fire department is 1 Chief, 2 Deputy Chiefs, 4 Captains, 4 Lieutenants, and firefighters/first responders.
What's the hiring process?
Once an application is received, the Police and Fire Commission (PFC) clerk will contact you to set up an interview. Prior to the interview, the clerk will run a soft background check. You will then be interviewed by the PFC and members of the fire department. If you are chosen to continue in the hiring process our Police Chief will do a further in-depth background and reference check. After that process is completed, you will be asked to submit to a complete physical exam and drug screening. Once all of that is completed you will be given a start date.
How do I apply?
Fill out a Fire Department employment packet which can be found at the following:
Fire Department Application
Submit your application in-person at the Village of Kronenwetter Municipal Center (1582 Kronenwetter Drive, Kronenwetter, WI 54455) or by email to Fire Chief Theresa O'Brien at firechief@kronenwetter.org