Firefighter apprenticeships an early success in Wasco

WASCO CO. — By paying for the training of young firefighters, who must otherwise volunteer their own resources to learn, a new state program helps fill the growing gap between Oregon’s need for firefighters and declining volunteerism.

It’s a “rock star” program at Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue (MCFR) — one of the first few departments in Oregon to participate — where five apprentices are in their second year, said Division Chief Adam Cole.

Just a couple other departments in Willamette Valley beat Wasco County to it.

Oregon International Association of Firefighters and Oregon Chiefs Association organized the state-funded Oregon Firefighter Apprenticeship Program, in partnership with the Bureau of Labor Industries, to train aspiring firefighters. MCFR is also funded by the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED. There's no other requirements. "You can take people off the street," Cole said.

Apprentices earn 70% of a journeyman firefighter’s wage the first year, 80% in their second year.

They're learning a “rigorous practical skills proficiency industry,” where entrants complete an apprenticeship, then become a journeyman, through practical trainings that outfit them for a job with any fire department.

It starts with a 16-week firefighter’s academy. After two years' training, apprentices who meet the requirements get a journeyman firefighter card which gets them recognition as a journeyman firefighter at any department in Oregon. A lot of fire departments are now looking for people with this experience, Cole said. And there’s fewer and fewer of volunteers to fill the gaps, especially in rural areas.

That’s a problem because at least 65% of U.S. firefighters are volunteer, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).

Most fire departments in the U.S. — 24,208 out of 29,452 — rely fully or mostly on volunteers and are struggling to meet staffing needs, as call volume more than tripled in the last 35 years while volunteerism reached a new low in 2020.

MCFR, staffed by paid career firefighters, no longer takes volunteers.

With rising temperatures and climate change, the need for fire personnel is rising while the available workforce decreases, according to reporting from The Oregonian.

"I can only speak from what I hear from other training chiefs in the area, that they're finding it hard to get applicants in the door in some places," Cole said. Most younger people simply no longer have the time and money to volunteer. Programs that drew a substantial pool of applications in the past now receive one or two.

“It’s just time constraints, and the amount of training the state and the federal require a firefighter to put in. And a lot of people are just barely making it by with their nine-to-five job, they don’t have so much extra time to devote to fire service,” said Cole.

Without this program, learners would’ve had to volunteer unpaid time to a fire department.

In another attempt to solve the volunteer shortage, Oregon State Fire Marshall Mariana Ruiz-Temple awarded about $6 million in grant money to 191 fire departments across the state through Oregon Senate Bill 762, passed in 2021, to help pay for seasonal firefighters.

“Volunteerism is just so far down, we’ve got to come up with creative ways to build our profession back up,” Cole said.

A few of MCFR’s six initial trainees “had a little bit of firefighting background, but a couple of them were just basically walking off the street,” Cole said. They ride with a fire engine or a medic daily, getting all the training of a career staff firefighter. Each is assigned a journeyman firefighter with years of experience. They pull a shift alongside the professionals, “attached at the hip” to their mentor.

One apprentice resigned from the program, and four others have taken testing. One was hired immediately, and three more just received permanent job offers at MCFR.

MCRF is looking into continuing the program with another group of apprentices, Cole said, but nothing can be announced yet.

Interested persons can search on firefighter apprenticeship opportunities on oregon.gov, which also gives a list of fire departments hiring for apprenticeship spots. They can also call their local fire department.

“It’s been a really fun adventure for our department with these apprentices, and we lucked out. Got six really good kids, and they’re doing a phenomenal job,” said Cole.

MCFR can be reached online at www.mcfr.org or call 541-296-9445.