Serve yourself and your community by volunteering
By: Melissa Riker
Tags: Emergency Response, New Jersey, Fire Fighters, Community

Serve yourself and your community by volunteering

Medford Township Department of Fire and EMS is seeking volunteers for firefighters and EMTs.

By Melissa Riker

The Sun

An opportunity to serve. An opportunity to lead. An opportunity to impact.

Paul Guelich, captain at Taunton Fire Company Station 252 urges community members to volunteer to do just that.

Medford Township Department of Fire and EMS is seeking volunteers for firefighters and EMTs to fill night and weekend duties.

Currently, there are about 40 volunteer firefighters and about 50 volunteer EMTs. Guelich said the department is seeking to find a minimum of 10 additional volunteers, respectively.

For Guelich, volunteering as a firefighter came naturally, as his fascination began as a child. Once he was 17, he volunteered as a junior firefighter for the Mount Laurel Fire Department, where he was able to observe and learn how the organization operates.

He spent 18 years at the Mount Laurel Fire Department before moving to Medford three years ago.

“I’ve always just had this interest in it, I’ve always had this drive and motivation to be a firefighter,” Guelich said. “I really enjoy getting out there in the community and helping people, they’re always very thankful and that brings me joy.”

With 21 years of volunteer experience, Guelich encourages the community to explore a “second profession” as a firefighter or EMT, while explaining that he, along with many other volunteers in the department, have full-time jobs they report to during the week.

“The people that are coming to you at two o’clock in the morning or two o’clock in the afternoon on a weekend are your neighbors, people just like you,” Guelich said.

He said that as someone with a full-time job, a wife and two children, he feels the volunteer hours are doable — with about 10–20 hours of service required per month.

Although the service hours are reasonable to achieve, completing training prior to volunteering is the most time-consuming aspect.

To become certified by the state, approximately 180 hours of training must be completed for both firefighters and EMTs.

Fire training will consist of classroom work and knowledge of techniques and history, along with practical training such as working in gear in environments with smoke and heat.

EMS training consists of knowledge of emergency medicine, treating patients for different medical issues, trauma and more.

Guelich said that, due to volunteering, his leadership skills have developed, he has heightened interpersonal skills due to communicating with residents and law enforcement, and he is motivated to stay in physical shape.

Although the volunteer positions are unpaid, there are some benefits available such as the length of service award program, tuition waiver program and stipends per call.

Guelich said volunteering as firefighters and EMTs allows people the opportunity to experience a piece of life they otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to explore.

“People should volunteer to be part of their community. I know that if anyone came to join our organization today, they’re going to get way more out of it than what they have to give up,” Guelich said. “It’s very rewarding to be out there and it’s the best way, I think, to help and serve the community.”

Those interested in volunteering can visit joinmedford.org for more information.