• Firefighter extinguishing wildland fire
  • Fort Ellis firefighters on I-90
  • Fort Ellis provides mutual aid to Bozeman Fire
  • Firefighters watching life flight helicopter
  • Firefighters in full turnout gear
  • Sweet Pea Parade, Bozeman, Montana

Volunteer With Us

  • Fort Ellis wildland firefighters

    QUALIFICATIONS

    Being a firefighter is hard work and requires dedication and personal time to train and respond to emergencies. The work and commitment are not for everyone. Fort Ellis spends significant time vetting potential recruits to ensure a good fit as well as to promote transparency about how much time being a volunteer can take.

    If you’re between the ages of 18 and 70, are in good health, live in our Fire Service Area or on the east end of Bozeman, and want to be considered for the department, please complete the form below.

  • Fort Ellis firefighters training

    TRAINING

    Each November, Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue brings on a new class of recruit firefighters to join our ranks.

    How do we do all of this and still stay safe? We spend a large amount of time training to properly respond to emergency situations.

    Firefighters train every Tuesday evening from 7:00-10:00pm. This includes both classroom and field training in a variety of disciplines. Fort Ellis has its own training facility capable of supporting the full range of structural firefighting. Standard training includes basic wildland (8 hours), EMS (EMT or EMR, 40-140 hours), hazardous materials operations (8 hours), and components of the Firefighter 1.

  • Motor vehicle accident in Fort Ellis fire district

    EMERGENCY RESPONSE

    Volunteers carry pagers to be summoned 24/7 when someone in our Fire Service Area calls 911 for help. Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue responds to 200-300 emergency calls per year, including:

    • Medical Emergencies: Heart attacks, diabetic emergencies, falls, cuts
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA): Most occur on Interstate 90. MVAs may involve extrication, medical treatment, and traffic control.
    • Wildland Fires: Lightning strikes in the forests, fires along the railroad, out-of-control "controlled" burns, and trash fires
    • Structure Fires: Residential, garage/shed, and commercial building fires
    • Mutual Aid: To surrounding fire districts, including the city of Bozeman, for structure and wildland fires

  • Fort Ellis firefighters and birthday boy

    COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

    In addition to training and responding to calls, Fort Ellis volunteers participate in a variety of community events, from directing traffic at bike-to-school events to conducting safety awareness events in and out of our Fire Service Area.

interested in learning more about volunteering?

Please complete the form below.