What benefits do you get from becoming a Volunteer Firefighter?
The OVFC Family
At the Odenton Volunteer Fire company, you are not just a member of our organization, you’re part of the OVFC family. Our members come from all walks of life, but on duty and off they all share a common bond to serve their community. OVFC members are Federal Workers, Career Firefighters, defense contractors, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, medical professionals, electricians, plumbers, and more, making the OVFC a great place to build lasting personal and professional connections. If you’re looking to serve in an organization where you feel rewarded in more ways than one, the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company offers this and so much more.
Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP)
The LOSAP program rewards our volunteer with a generous annual State of Maryland tax credit beginning after only 3 years of active service and a monthly payment benefit after 25 years of active volunteer service. Deductions are also available on your Federal Taxes for mileage and more.
Real World Experience
The Odenton Volunteer Fire company has an engine company, truck company, and Basic Life Support Ambulance that respond to more than 5,000 calls annually. Located in the fastest growing part of Anne Arundel County and bordering the U.S. Army Installation of Fort George G Meade, we are a busy organization that responds on a wide array of emergency responses, allowing our members to quickly gain experience.
Free Training
The State of Maryland, through the Maryland Fire Rescue Institute, provides ALL fire and EMS training at no cost to OVFC members. Additionally OVFC currently has the benefit of SAFER Grant funding to send a member to regional and national seminars and conferences. The OVFC offers you excellent opportunities to gain emergency services knowledge and training so you can be the best at what you do.
In addition to formal training classes, OVFC conducts training on duty nights, quarterly drills, and as apart of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department to teach new skills and/or practice those you’ve learned so they are ready to use
Duty Night Dinners
There is nothing like sitting around our custom dinner table sharing a meal and the company of your fellow volunteers and the career staff! Almost every night of the week, OVFC duty crews prepare and share a community meal.
Tuition Reimbursement
Fire department personnel, active volunteer or career firefighters/Emergency Medical Technicians, seeking a degree in fire science or emergency medicine may be eligible for tuition reimbursement from various scholarship funds administered by the Maryland State Firemens Association (MSFA) Scholarship Committee. For more information on the MSFA Scholarship funds, click the following web link – http://www.msfa.org/content/scholarship.
Uniforms/Personal Protective Equipment
Once members complete the required training to become qualified responders, they are issued personal protective equipment for fire and EMS operations at NO cost.