About Volunteering with the Wintergreen Fire Department
By Curtis Sheets, Chief of Wintergreen Fire and Rescue
The Wintergreen Volunteer Fire Department has full-time staff stationed at both of the fire and rescue stations in our community. Each 24-hour shift is comprised of two firefighters in the mountain station, two firefighters in the valley and a shift captain and lieutenant that float between the two.
When a fire alarm goes off, two or three firefighters respond immediately to the call with the rest at least 20 minutes away. That’s two or three firefighters to connect to a water source, pump the water, look for potential victims, and attack a fire that could consume a room in minutes.
Sometimes, on minor events, that’s enough. But often enough our professional firefighters need the help of Wintergreen’s community volunteers who support them in a variety of roles.
Some volunteers train to fight the fire. Others are trained for key jobs such as operating the engine and the water pumping system.
Other volunteers on the scene of a fire will run equipment from the engine to the firefighters or, in the case of a major event, provide water and snacks to the firefighters in rest periods.
Volunteers can keep track of the firefighters entering and leaving the structure. Other are trained to refill air bottles depleted by the firefighters on the scene.
The volunteers helping with the administrative side of the volunteer house such as fundraising, time-keeping, etc., are also very much appreciated.
The process to become a fire volunteer is straightforward. After a routine background check, your application is considered by the Volunteer Fire Board and you can begin training. With the exception of training to be a state certified firefighter, you schedule your own training and attend monthly training meetings. We ask that you be on call around 8 hours a month. Training is typically done in-house.
Interested? Contact our Deputy Chief via email or by phone at (434) 325-8552 for more information.
Info on rescue squad volunteers is HERE.
Wintergreen Volunteer Fire Department - Active Member Roster
Benjamin Carroll
Houston Carter
Ron Culberson
Levi Edwards
Ethan Darrow
Joe Hatter
CJ Thorp
Patrick Yeatts
Michael Walters
Wintergreen Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors
President - Ron Cote
Vice President - Peter Hill
Secretary - Jim Wright
Treasurer- Karen Asher
Matt Stegman
Auxiliary Representative - Mary Gilliland
Curtis Sheets- Staff
Mike Riddle- Staff
Wintergreen Volunteer Fire Department - Inactive Members
Karen Asher*
Tommy Ashley*
Mike Crandall*
Delbert 'Dobie' Fish*
Don Fitzgerald*
Michael Friedlein*
John Harrington*
Thomas Jackson*
Bruce Johnson*
Jim Kneas*
Jimmy Koschara*
Greg Lipscomb*
Frank Ott**
John Robles*
Courtney Truslow*
Jim Truslow*