Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue - plfr.org
Fire Chief - Ed Wilkerson
Headquarters Station No. 31
7650 Oak Bay Road
Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Business Hours: 8am-4:30pm
360-437-2236 phone
360-437-9184 fax
PORT LUDLOW FIRE & RESCUE HIRES VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Familiar Port Ludlow face to help PLFR efforts to recruit and retain volunteers
PORT LUDLOW—March 1, 2010
Laura Halady, longtime Port Ludlow resident has accepted a position with Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue. Halady started in February as the Districts new Volunteer Recruitment & Retention Coordinator. As part of Federally funded Volunteer Recruitment grant received by the District in 2008, among other initiatives designed to enhance the District’s ability to grow it’s volunteer program, funding was also provided for a part-time, limited term volunteer coordinator to help ascertain opportunities to recruit more volunteers into the District and to define strategies to ensure the District can retain the services of those that do become volunteers. The grant provides funding for this position, that will work an average of 20 hours a week, through April, 2011.
PLFR Volunteers serve the community by responding to a variety of situations, ranging from emergencies that immediately threaten life or property to routine citizen requests for information, assistance or education. The District has several categories of volunteers. “Resident Firefighter/EMTs” are individuals who are interested in a career in the fire service and are actively seeking employment in the fire service. Unlike other volunteers, Residents are assigned to one of three shifts just like our career staff and receive a “stipend” for each shift they work that covers out of pocket expenses like gas and meals. “Firefighter/EMT Volunteers”, also known as “traditional volunteers” are either retired or employed elsewhere, and serve the community by responding from home or work to a wide variety of emergency situations. “EMS Only Volunteers” serve the community by responding to and dealing with emergency medical situations that can pose a threat to life but are not directly involved in fire suppression activities. Finally, “Support Services Volunteers” serve the community by being assigned to number of different areas of “non-hazardous” volunteer work that would otherwise have to be performed by suppression personnel. By so doing, they free up suppression personnel to focus on emergency duties.
“The challenge is in reaching out to the community and attracting qualified individuals to join our organization and serve in one our volunteer capacities and then keeping them involved once they join” said PLFR Fire Chief Ed Wilkerson. “This is where our new Volunteer Coordinator will make a difference.”
Halady’s background includes four years of service in the Air Force as a Med tech/EMT and significant experience in marketing, sales and project management. She is a Realtor and Broker with Windermere Port Ludlow and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington Realtors.
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue is a full service emergency services provider covering 53 square miles of Jefferson County. Operating out of three fire stations, they provide fire, rescue and emergency medical services and transport at both basic and paramedic levels.
