Paid-on-call (POC) firefighters are part-time employees of the fire district. POC firefighters are paid an hourly wage for training and call attendance with all equipment and PPE supplied by the department. POC firefighters are involved in fire suppression, emergency medical, and rescue & service calls in addition to regular training, fire prevention, inspections, routine testing and maintenance of equipment and much more.

Our POC Firefighters work side by side with our volunteers, however the POC firefighters pull regular duty shifts on a five day shift rotation, and they wait to be engaged within the fire district boundaries during their assigned shifts. These shifts are typically pulled from home, where the individual can still remain with family and maintain their personal and home life while remaining available to quickly respond to incidents.

Being a paid-on-call firefighter involves a strong commitment to the community and to the department. When joining the department, paid-on-call firefighters and EMS providers agree to abide by the department standard operating procedures, guidelines, training requirements, shift assignments, and all Tenmile Rural Fire District personnel rules.

In addition, the following requirements must be met to apply and maintain employment to the department;

1. must be a minimum of 18 years of age;
2. possess a high school diploma or equivalent;
3. in addition to a high school diploma, post-high school education or an equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred and will be considered;
4. must possess a current, valid Oregon driver’s license and maintain a driving record insurable by the City’s insurer in order to drive a department vehicle;
5. must pass a criminal background check and drug test. Criminal background checks will be conducted periodically throughout employment and will comply with Department of Public Safety Standards and Training DPSST ethic standards
6. must be in good physical condition

Starting hourly wage for new POC basic firefighters is $14.00 per hour with a 1 hour call-in guarantee, in addition to the monthly on call duty stipend. Wages increase with experience and certifications, and position advancement.

POC firefighters must have a minimum of 6 months firefighting experience and NFPA FF1/NWCG type 2 FF and NFPA driver/operator certification at time of hire and obtain an EMR or EMT license within 1 year.

As a volunteer of the district, you can receive the required training above free of charge and gain the needed experience that will prepare you to apply for a POC position if you choose to.