It's open day today in VD at least, to go check it out or sign up.

How is it? good? bad? ugly? tax?

I'm in a small village, I've never even seen a fire / fire truck / fireman here..

Not sure my local language is good enough, they might need perfection for such a job.

It is a great way to improve your local language, make good contacts and become part of the community. And - it should stop your firefighting tax. It is also a great way to ensure success with your nationality application- should you ever wish to apply. Shows you have a community attitude and are prepared to do your bit.

I was turned down do to being T1 diabetic. But it is a great way to truly integrate. I doubt they will care about even rudimentary language skills, they will be happy to have you and who knows, your French could actually improve.

If you are thinking about nationalisation it would be a Big Plus.

Thanks people .. That's encouraging .. My FR is around B1, it's not a complete disaster but I was a bit concerned that it would need to be really good.

I just fancy it for all the reasons you say, do something for the village plus I always wanted to be a fireman as a kid. Although around here it will likely be more like pulling a cow out of a hole.

Kicking off the nationality for the kids around now, I'll be eligible in a year or two.. So good for that too.

Rega pulls cows out of holes with their helicopter.

I had a colleague who volunteered locally for a while. He lived and worked in the same town. I'm not sure if that is a requirement.
He was initially put on radio operations as they said his German was not good enough... I think their argument was that on site, ease of expedient communication is more important than across the radio. Sounds like nobody wants to be the one at home base on the radio!

A former colleague did it. The running joke was that he never once attended a fire as the professionals come out for that because it's a skilled and dangerous task.

Instead as said above there flooded cellars to pump, manure to hose off the road after a trailer rolled etc. These things can happen at any hour, when he was on duty he was as likely to get called out at 2am as 2pm but most of the "action" was training courses to prepare for all of these. It's a good service to do, tempted myself.

A former boss of mine was a volunteer fireman in a small village in Kt Solothurn.

He always had amusing and weird stories to tell of all the strange things that happened.

Also a way to find love.

(An electrical short sparked a small fire at my friend's house. The village fireman put out the fire in the house, and lit one in her heart. 30 years of marital bliss and counting.)

what a nice story on such a grey day made me smile

Are you in the habit of running towards danger? It may be a great way to improve you language skill, integration etc... but there is a very serious side to it as well.

I was turned down by my commune.

Too old.

Despite being a damn sight fitter than their volunteers.

Not bitter, much.

Yeah i have a bit of an irrational lack of fear for most things, especially fire.. Although it's likely a small part of the job.

Well i ain't no teenager either so I'll be prepared for that

You mean, are we members of the Volunteer Fire Department, VFD? It's quiet here.

Looks like great fun ..

I gotta go do a test next, physical and aptitude .. Seems like a great amicable service to the community and extra opportunity for drinking to boot.

Here, you have to be 35 or under when you join, but then can serve up to the age of 55. But I think it is the same all over CH. Unless they are changing the rules as they are short of volunteers.

Age limit varies from canton to canton

Recruitment criteria in Vaud:

be over 18
be in good physical shape
live in the canton of Vaud
be available and motivated

https://www.eca-vaud.ch/sapeurs-pomp...ires-recrutent

Or the general page

https://www.118-info.ch/de/rekrutierung

I think that it would be super to join. You'll get a lot of interesting training and you'll learn a ton and you'll hopefully get to help your community.

Also, clubs like this have a big social component and are a super way to meet people and intergrate into your community. If you do join, make sure you give yourself some time to make connections with the others. The people in the fire department may know each other for quite a long time (since childhood - if they're from the same village) and may enjoy spending time with their old friends. This doesn't mean that they are impolite or against new members, but it probably will take months of participating before you feel like you really belong. But, if you come regularly, you'll most likely slowly integrate into the group and you'll probably find that it is really worthwhile.

Have a great time and let us know how it works out.

Holy crap i made through the test day and on to the next stage.. Come in get measured up for clothes and stuff.. Dunno all the details yet, it was a quick call, com in next week.. So

The test day was pretty interesting .. Up on the 30m ladder for an 'interview' to see what you think of that.. In the dark obstacle course to find things.. Memorise things, estimate things, a proper interview with the chief and a little fitness test of running a certain distance in certain time, based on age and gender.

Onwards..!

Well done, gemeinsam vorwärts indeed!