Kathy Miller talks on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, about her 10 years as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Capital City Fire/Rescue at the Lynn Canal Fire Station after a career as a nurse. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Kathy Miller talks on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, about her 10 years as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Capital City Fire/Rescue at the Lynn Canal Fire Station after a career as a nurse. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

CCFR in need of volunteers

Capital City Fire/Rescue’s volunteer force is only at two-thirds capacity at the moment, according to a release from the department Friday.

Ideally, the department would have 60 members, according to the release, but it currently has about 40. CCFR is a combination fire department, comprised of both volunteers and professionals. Most firefighters go through between 200 and 600 hours of training per year, according to the release, and volunteers go through the same training as full-time firefighters.

CCFR Assistant Chief Tod Chambers said those interested in volunteering are welcome to visit any of the stations and get an idea of what it takes to be part of the force.

“It’s not for everybody,” Chambers said in a release, “but the sense of camaraderie, team work and challenge is extremely rewarding.”

Volunteers must be 18 years old and have a valid Alaska Driver’s License. Training and equipment are provided. CCFR also offers a Cadet Program for those under 18.

More in News

A house on Telephone Hill stands on Dec. 22, 2025. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)
Court sets eviction date for Telephone Hill residents as demolition plans move forward

A lawsuit against the city seeks to reverse evictions and halt demolition is still pending.

Juneauites warm their hands and toast marshmallows around the fire at the “Light the Night" event on winter solstice, on Dec. 21, 2025. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)
A mile of lights marked Juneau’s darkest day

Two ski teams hosted a luminous winter solstice celebration at Mendenhall Loop.

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck drives in the Mendenhall Valley in 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau man found dead following residential fire

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

CBJ sign reads “Woodstove burn ban in effect.” (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Update: CBJ cancels air quality emergency in Mendenhall Valley Sunday morning

The poor air quality was caused by an air inversion, trapping pollutants at lower elevations.

A dusting of snow covers the Ptarmigan chairlift at Eaglecrest Ski Area in December 2024. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)
Update: Waterline break forces closure at Eaglecrest Friday, Saturday

The break is the latest hurdle in a challenging opening for Juneau’s city-run ski area this season.

Patrick Sullivan stands by an acid seep on July 15,2023. Sullivan is part of a team of scientists who tested water quality in Kobuk Valley National Park’s Salmon River and its tributaries, where permafrost thaw has caused acid rock drainage. The process is releasing metals that have turned the waters a rusty color. A chapter in the 2025 Arctic Report Card described “rusting rivers” phenomenon. (Photo by Roman Dial/Alaska Pacific University)
Ecosystem shifts, glacial flooding and ‘rusting rivers’ among Alaska impacts in Arctic report

NOAA’s 2025 report comes despite Trump administration cuts to climate science research and projects

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 1, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
Moderate US House Republicans join Dems to force vote on extension of health care subsidies

WASHINGTON — Republican leaders in the U.S. House will face a floor… Continue reading

The National Weather Service Juneau issues a high wind warning forDowntown Juneau, Southern Douglas Island and Thane due to increased confidence for Taku Winds this afternoon. (National Weather Service screenshot)
Taku winds and dangerous chills forecast for Juneau

Gusts up to 60 mph and wind chills near minus 15 expected through the weekend.

Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire
Fallen trees are pictured by the Mendenhall river on Aug. 15, 2025. Water levels rose by a record-breaking 16.65 feet on the morning of Aug. 13 during a glacial outburst flood.
Lake tap chosen as long-term fix for glacial outburst floods

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Juneau leaders agreed on the plan.

Most Read