Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association
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  • Fire Departments
    • Beckwourth FPD
    • Bucks Lake FD
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    • Eastern Plumas Rural FPD (& C Road)
    • Graeagle FPD
    • Greenhorn Creek FD
    • Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District
    • Indian Valley FD
    • La Porte FPD
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    • Plumas County OES
    • Plumas Eureka FD
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    • Sierra Valley FPD
    • U.S. Forest Service, Plumas NF
    • West Almanor FPD (& Prattville)
  • Members Only Section
  • Awards & Recognition
    • Chief Robbie Cassou Instructor of the Year Award >
      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
      • 2013 John Gay, Captain Quincy FPD
      • 2014 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2015 Frank Carey, Assistant Fire Chief Quincy FPD
      • 2016 Dony Sawchuk, Captain, Quincy FPD
      • 2017 David Schmid Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen Leadership in EMS Perpetual Award >
      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
    • Chief Ronny J. Coleman, Honorary Member PCFCA
    • Recognition of Retiring Fire Chiefs
    • Special Recognition >
      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Inside the Fire House
    • An Introduction to Fire Departments
    • Why do Fire Departments provide Emergency Medical Services?
    • How Good is your Fire Department? A review of Rating Systems
    • What is the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association?
    • Helping Each Other - what is Mutual or Automatic Aid between FD's?
    • The Little Dispatch That Could - Plumas County Sheriff's Office Dispatch
    • What's Required to Drive Fire Engines Legally and Safely
    • On Obtaining Newer Fire Engines
    • Recognizing Great Service!
    • What is a Firefighters Muster?
  • Biographies
  • Emergency Medical Care Committee
  • Firewise Communities
  • Former Fire Departments
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Group Calendar
  • Join Us - We are Recruiting!
  • Major Fires & Incidents
    • 2013 Pizza Factory Fire, Quincy CA
    • 2015 Ponderosa Bowling Alley, Portola CA
    • 2017 Minerva 5 Incident, Quincy
  • Memorials
    • Chief Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka FD
    • Chief Andy Anderson, Quincy FD
    • Richard Bruce "Dick" "Specs" Matheny, USFS
    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen, Quincy FPD, PDH, EMCC
  • Partner Law and Related Agencies
    • Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2016 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2017 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
  • Quincy Fire Academy
  • The Quincy FPD Support Team
  • Regional Training
    • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator 1A CFSTES
    • Emergency Medical Technician - 1
    • FSTEP Auto Extrication
    • Live Fire Training
  • Related Links







Join us - We Need Your Help!

Did you know that of the roughly 1.1 million firefighters in America, 69% of them are volunteer? There are 17 local government fire departments in Plumas County, and every single one of them needs volunteers. Most are operated fully by volunteers, and even the only fully career department, Peninsula FPD, would like to find some volunteers to supplement their paid staff, according to Chief Gary Pini.

See the video below from the National Volunteer Fire Council for an overview of being a volunteer firefighter, from the perspective of actual members. Click on the symbol in the lower right to the left of the word vimeo for full screen.


​See the related video below from Chief Ronny Coleman, retired California State Fire Marshal, for an overview of a Volunteer FD fund-raising event in Plumas County. Click on the symbol in the lower right, to the left of the word vimeo for full screen.


Firefighting: Providing hands-on fire suppression & rescue services in the 'hot zone.'

Becoming a volunteer firefighter starts with contacting your local fire department. Generally each department requires you to be physically fit and in good health, at least 18 years old, and a resident of their community or nearby within a certain response distance. It's usually required to be a high school graduate, and you can not have any prior felony convictions on your record. 

You'll need to agree to complete the regional Quincy Fire Academy, held each spring. There are also other certifications that are required by federal, state, or OSHA regulations. In addition each department requires good attendance at weekly training drills, usually held 3-4 times a month on a weeknight for 2-3 hours.

Support Services, On Scene:

Some of our departments have scene support roles that do not require hands-on firefighting or rescue. Instead, you may help with supporting the firefighters through refilling air bottles, providing rehab services, food, and other tasks as needed depending on each incident. Contact your local fire department.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS): helping people who are injured or ill and requiring medical care in the field.

All firefighters in California, volunteer or paid, are required to complete emergency medical aid training called "Emergency Medical Responder" (EMR) at a minimum, and many choose to complete a higher level of training called Emergency Medical Technician (EMT.)

The vast majority of emergency calls handled by fire departments today throughout America are EMS or EMS related, such as motor vehicle accidents.
​Some of our fire departments have support members who would like to provide EMS only, and not the firefighting role. This is not always an option, so please check with your local fire department.

Administrative, Other Support

Your local department may need help in other ways, such as through providing a variety of non-emergency support including fund raising, maintenance, running a web site or social media services, publishing a newsletter, etc. Contact your local fire department for more information.

See the listing below the sample firefighter profiles for your local Plumas County Fire Department contact information.


Examples of Current Firefighters

Picture
Picture

To view more profiles of our local firefighters and support team members, visit the pages of each FD under the Fire Departments menu above.


Interested in becoming a volunteer or learning more about how you can support your local fire department? Contact your nearest community FD below.

Beckwourth Fire Protection District
Chief Bret Russell, (530) 832-1008; 
chiefrussell@beckwourthfire.com

Bucks Lake Volunteer Fire Department
Chief Jeff Iversen, BuckslakeFD@aol.com

Chester Fire Department
Chief Brian Layne, (530) 258-2171; blayne
@chesterfire.org

Crescent Mills Fire Protection District
Chief Joe Kemp, 530-284-7454 

Eastern Plumas Rural Fire Protection District (Delleker, Iron Horse, includes C Road)
Chief Bob Frank, (530) 832-5626; 
RAFrank1@msn.com

Graeagle Fire Protection District
Chief Ed Ward, (530) 836-1340; 
ed.ward@graeaglefire.org
Assistant Chief Jim Stockdale; jim.stockdale@graeaglefire.org

Greenhorn Creek Volunteer Fire Department
Chief Tyson Rael, (530) 283-4588, 
tyson_gcvfd@hotmail.com

Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District (also Prattville)
Chief Gary Pini, (530) 596-3458; 
hambranchfire@yahoo.com
​

Indian Valley Fire Department (Greenville, Taylorsville, Genesee)
Chief Tony Balbiani, (530) 284-7224, ivchief@frontiernet.net

La Porte Fire Protection District
Chief Jim Gibson, (530) 990-2042; 
laportefire@yahoo.com

Long Valley Fire Department (Cromberg, Sloat)
Chief's position currently vacant, (530) 836-2550

Meadow Valley Fire Department
Chief Ron Heinbockel, (530) 283-2620; 
ron1942mv@gmail.com
​
Peninsula Fire Protection District
Chief Gary Pini, 530-259-2306, penfire@frontiernet.net

Plumas Eureka Fire Department
Chief John Sea, 530-836-0532, johnsea21@yahoo.com

Quincy Fire Protection District
Chief Robbie Cassou, 530-283-0870; robbie.quincyfire@sbcglobal.net

Deputy Chief David Windle
Assistant Chief Frank Carey


Sierra Valley Volunteer Fire Department (Chilcoot, Vinton, surrounding areas)
Chief Vicki Anderson, (530) 993-1111,
9500sierravalleyfire@gmail.com

West Almanor Fire Department (also serves Prattville-Almanor)

Chief Randy Fluke, (530) 259-5112, westalmanorfd@citlink.net
​

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  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Fire Departments
    • Beckwourth FPD
    • Bucks Lake FD
    • Chester FD
    • Crescent Mills Fire Protection District
    • Eastern Plumas Rural FPD (& C Road)
    • Graeagle FPD
    • Greenhorn Creek FD
    • Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District
    • Indian Valley FD
    • La Porte FPD
    • Long Valley VFD
    • Meadow Valley FPD
    • Peninsula Fire Protection District
    • Plumas County OES
    • Plumas Eureka FD
    • Portola FD
    • Quincy FPD
    • Sierra Valley FPD
    • U.S. Forest Service, Plumas NF
    • West Almanor FPD (& Prattville)
  • Members Only Section
  • Awards & Recognition
    • Chief Robbie Cassou Instructor of the Year Award >
      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
      • 2013 John Gay, Captain Quincy FPD
      • 2014 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2015 Frank Carey, Assistant Fire Chief Quincy FPD
      • 2016 Dony Sawchuk, Captain, Quincy FPD
      • 2017 David Schmid Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen Leadership in EMS Perpetual Award >
      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
    • Chief Ronny J. Coleman, Honorary Member PCFCA
    • Recognition of Retiring Fire Chiefs
    • Special Recognition >
      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Inside the Fire House
    • An Introduction to Fire Departments
    • Why do Fire Departments provide Emergency Medical Services?
    • How Good is your Fire Department? A review of Rating Systems
    • What is the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association?
    • Helping Each Other - what is Mutual or Automatic Aid between FD's?
    • The Little Dispatch That Could - Plumas County Sheriff's Office Dispatch
    • What's Required to Drive Fire Engines Legally and Safely
    • On Obtaining Newer Fire Engines
    • Recognizing Great Service!
    • What is a Firefighters Muster?
  • Biographies
  • Emergency Medical Care Committee
  • Firewise Communities
  • Former Fire Departments
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Group Calendar
  • Join Us - We are Recruiting!
  • Major Fires & Incidents
    • 2013 Pizza Factory Fire, Quincy CA
    • 2015 Ponderosa Bowling Alley, Portola CA
    • 2017 Minerva 5 Incident, Quincy
  • Memorials
    • Chief Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka FD
    • Chief Andy Anderson, Quincy FD
    • Richard Bruce "Dick" "Specs" Matheny, USFS
    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen, Quincy FPD, PDH, EMCC
  • Partner Law and Related Agencies
    • Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2016 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2017 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
  • Quincy Fire Academy
  • The Quincy FPD Support Team
  • Regional Training
    • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator 1A CFSTES
    • Emergency Medical Technician - 1
    • FSTEP Auto Extrication
    • Live Fire Training
  • Related Links