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Firefighter/EMT Meghan Quinn:

Make This Your Second Home

I joined Glen Echo while completing my EMT-B certification.  From the moment I walked in, Glen Echo Fire Department felt like a second home. Everyone was so friendly and always available to help out, showing me a kindness and warmth I feel translates directly to the community we all serve.

—Molly Holland, Firefighter II & EMS provider

Learn More About Volunteering at GEFD

What We Provide

  • Physical exams, unlimited training classes, and uniforms at no charge
  • Flexible scheduling to avoid conflicts with work or school
  • A supportive, inclusive, and learning-oriented environment
  • The opportunity to live rent-free at the firehouse through our live-in program
  • Free WiFi Internet access, PC and laser printer access, and quiet study areas
  • Free access to fitness facilities at the firehouse, as well as Montgomery County recreation centers and public swimming pools
  • Free Montgomery County Ride-On bus passes
  • Assistance with transportation as needed to the Montgomery County Public Service Training Academy
  • A terrific boost for your resume or medical school or physician’s assistant school application
  • A great experience, and much more!

Membership Types

Operational

  • Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic: EMTs and paramedics operate our ambulance or our paramedic ALS chase vehicle and respond to medical calls to care for and transport sick or injured patients.  While all are welcome to apply, we especially encourage applicants with existing EMT or paramedic credentials (from any jurisdiction) and/or those who are likely to be able to volunteer for a period of two years.
  • Fire/Rescue: Firefighters staff our engine and operate our Honda Pioneer 700 4×4 all-terrain vehicle.
  • Junior Members: For ages 16-17. More information

Conduit Road Fire Board

CRFB members represent the various neighborhoods in Glen Echo’s first due area and work with the Fire Chief to administer the station and its finances and to liaise with members of the community and Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service officials. Under Maryland and Montgomery County law, anyone wishing to serve on the CRFB must be a resident of the area bounded by the Potomac River, Wilson Lane, River Road, and Western Avenue.

What We Ask

We are always thrilled to welcome new faces.  At the same time, training and equipping new members is a time- and resource-intensive undertaking, and we try to make sure that everyone understands what it takes to remain in good standing as part of the department.

  • A minimum two-year commitment to Glen Echo Fire Department, meaning volunteering a scheduled 12-hour shift each week or its equivalent (e.g., one weekend per month, or on a yearly basis, fifty 12-hour shifts, twenty-five 24-hour shifts, or some other combination of 600 hours) — members should be prepared to make their training and their service at the firehouse among their life priorities in order ensure they can fulfill this requirement
    • If you’re a college student in the DC area and your home is elsewhere, it’s possible to take EMS or firefighter classes and to fulfill the volunteer staffing commitment during the school year
  • Members must be self-starting and self-managing in terms of progressing through fire and/or EMS coursework and maintaining their credentials, including:
    • Completing required initial online classes immediately after being voted in as a probationary member
    • Enrolling in required classroom courses at the first opportunity
    • Passing all courses on the first attempt (and seriously, they’re not that difficult)
    • Recording “LOSAP” (Length of Service Awards Program) hours and remaining “LOSAP Active” at all times
  • A pattern of regular, consistent advancement (e.g., EMS providers should attain “charge aide” status within one year, meaning they have completed the necessary coursework and have demonstrated their ability to lead an ambulance crew)
  • Staffing occasional special events such as our fall open house, annual bingo night at Glen Echo Park (the Friday after Labor Day), participation in firehouse and apparatus cleaning and upkeep, attending the annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention in Ocean City, Maryland every few years, etc.
  • We do not require our members to take part in door-to-door fundraising
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