Why We Need Volunteers

The Town of Buchanan consists of approximately 6,850 residents living in around 2,780 dwellings.  We are a smaller sized community with larger community needs.  Just like much of the United States, it is not feasible to employ a full-time public safety department, so we rely on professionally trained, dedicated volunteers to provide for our safety needs.

What is Required to Volunteer

Do you desire to be a part of an organization that makes a positive impact in your community?  Do you want to be a member of an elite team of specialists who help people in their toughest hour?  Do you have a few hours per week to dedicate to training, service calls, and building friendships?  Are you looking to make lifelong connections with like-minded individuals?  Do you want to be the hero your children believe you are?  Do you look good in a uniform?  If so, we are where you want to be.

To become a volunteer, you need…

• to be at least 18 years of age or older
• a valid driver’s license and proof of residency
• to be physically fit & not have medical conditions that would preclude membership
• a high school diploma or equivalency
• a minimum level of certification (firefighter I, which we will provide upon hiring)
• to meet our residency requirements applicant must be (one of the following):
  • a resident of the Town of Buchanan
  • located within the boundaries of the Darboy Sanitary District.
  • able to respond to the station in less than 10 minutes from their residence.

To maintain membership, a volunteer firefighter/EMS personnel must:

• pass an accredited Firefighter I/Haz Mat Ops course within 12 months of hire and maintain certification in good standing
• annually attend a minimum of six (6) monthly meetings
• annually attend a minimum of twelve (12) bi-monthly training events
• annually respond to 10% of all service calls
• stay in compliance with all department bylaws

Benefits to being a member

As a member of the Town of Buchanan Fire & Rescue Department, you will receive free initial fire training/certification.  Additionally, if so desired, you can qualify for additional free training as it becomes available. Some of our members have been able to advance their expertise to the level of being hired by full-time departments in our area.

Although our members are “volunteers,” you will be paid as an on-call employee.  Responses to service calls will pay a minimum of 1.00 hours compensation with additional 0.25 hour increments for the duration of a call.

As a member, you will be enrolled in the Wisconsin Service Awards Program (formerly LOSA).  This special program was developed for volunteer first responders and will pay into a retirement program on your behalf.  As long as you meet the department’s minimum participation requirements (see above), an annual payment will be deposited into your account.  A member is fully vested after 15 years and may withdraw funds upon reaching 55 years of age.

All members are enrolled in our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which is available to all members of the department and their families.  The EAP is provided to assist members in difficultly dealing with department calls and personal matters which may affect their duties.  All information provided to the EAP is confidential.   Additionally, the department maintains a trained Fire Chaplain on staff who can provide spiritual and personal counseling to firefighters and other staff members as needed. 

Our department offers regular cookouts for our members to connect.

Our department offers an annual summer picnic for our members’ immediate families.

We have an annual Christmas Party and Awards Banquet for all of our members, retirees, and distinguished guests.

Members may use the apparatus bay to wash their personal vehicles.  It’s not a lot, but it’s a great benefit in the winter months.

There are many other benefits… come talk to a member and find out more!

What We Stand For

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department is to provide a high level of customer service by protecting life, property, and the environment, through the delivery of innovative, fiscally responsible firefighting, rescue, fire prevention, and emergency medical services.  This mission requires our members to be part of a organization that is focused on Conservation, Protection and Preservation of the property, lives and environment of those we serve.  We will serve with Integrity, Honesty and Accountability.

Vision Statement

As a core service of the Town of Buchanan, we are committed to protecting our citizens, families, colleagues and to the preservation of our heritage in the delivery of these services.

Values Statement

We will continue to improve upon ever-changing firefighting tactics and support a safe, healthy, and diverse workplace organization that is open to change.  We will provide compassionate and professional Emergency Services.  We will protect and preserve our environment in all ways possible.  We will continue to build on our existing community relationship programs, particularly in the areas of youth and public fire prevention education, injury prevention, emergency preparedness while continuing to build relationships with other local and county departments. 

Core Values

1. HONOR: We protect and serve our entire community with the commitment necessary to perform the Department’s tasks. We serve at the highest level of excellence, in a manner showing devotion and respect to our mission. We are dedicated to exuding excellence by possessing a positive attitude and having pride in our work while conforming to the highest standard of conduct, honesty, compassion, and integrity without the expectation of glory; doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
2. PRIDE: We inspire each other through pride in our department, which is a belief that every action reflects on all the members of the department, including our station, both past and present. We take pride in ourselves as individuals, our members as a team, our department as a family, and our citizens as a community.
3. DEDICATION: We are dedicated to family, our department, and the community which we serve. We possess an unwavering commitment to faithful execution of all the duties of our mission. It is imperative that we keep a constant state of mental and physical readiness.  We keep or team prepared through regimented training, continuing education, physical fitness standards, and the faithful care of our equipment.

How to Apply

If you would like to know more about the Buchanan Fire & Rescue Department or receive information on becoming a volunteer firefighter on this Department, please contact the Buchanan Town Hall at (920) 734-8599 or feel free to email either our Fire/EMS Chief or our Public Relations Officer. 

Fire/EMS Chief Ray Mohr: rmohr@townofbuchanan.wi.gov

Public Relations Officer: buchananfire@townofbuchanan.wi.gov

The following link will send you to our volunteer firefighter/EMS application.  Upon completion, email us your application or submit it to the Town Hall at N178 County Road N, Appleton, WI  54915 (in person or physically mailed):

Fire and Rescue Application and Information Packet