Ride-Along Program
Experience the Firefighter Ride-Along Program and See a Day in the Life at Your Local Fire Station
Questions? Contact
For any questions regarding the
Ride-a-Long, please email: ERFPDHiring@eagleriverfire.org
As of April 30, 2026, the Ride Along Program is temporarily suspended due to the upcoming hiring process. We will update this page once the program has been reinstated.
Thank you for your understanding. Station tours are still available at this time. If you are interested in scheduling a station tour, please complete the Request a Fire Station Tour form.
Ride-Along Program
A Ride-Along Program is an opportunity for an individual to meet with a crew in a fire station for a designated period.
The Ride-Along options are:
- When a seat on a fire engine is available and the crew has the time to support it, the Ride-Along will occur at that fire station, and the rider will ride on the fire engine with the crew.
- When no seat is available on a fire engine, the rider will accompany the Battalion Chief for the day and ride with them in the Battalion Chief’s vehicle.
The availability of an open seat on a fire engine will not be known until the day of the Ride-Along, so unfortunately, you will not be able to choose beforehand. However, you can request a specific engine or individual employee you would like to have your Ride-Along and we will do what we can to accommodate.
Ride-Along Program participants are to observe only; riders are not to take part in emergency operations.
Time limits
The standard Ride-Along timeframe is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. No Ride-Along will occur on “line-observed” holidays unless approved by the Battalion Chief.
Riders should arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before to the start of the Ride-Along.
Though rare, there may be events or other reasons that a Ride-Along will need to end earlier than the scheduled period or even be cancelled. If that occurs, the Training Lieutenant will reschedule the Ride-Along to occur on another day.
If the Ride-Along ends early due to behavioral or legal issues of the rider, you will not participate in the Ride-Along Program again at Eagle River Fire.
Hiring Processes
Due to the surge of requests that occur during a hiring periods—and to ensure fairness to all applicants—the Ride-Along Program is suspended for any applicants during the duration of any hiring process.
Requirements
- Be at least 18 years of age, or 16+ with parental/guardian consent.
- Not currently enrolled in an ERFPD hiring process.
Scheduling
The process for scheduling:
- Riders who meet the listed requirements please, should email erfpdhiring@eagleriverfire.org to express interest in participating in the Ride-Along Program. Please include:
- Your name
- Phone number
- When is the best time of day for us to contact you
- Up to three preferred dates that would work best for you to ride. All dates need to be a minimum of 2 weeks out.
- A designated Ride-Along coordinator will contact you to schedule the Ride-Along.
- Riders will receive a background release form for allowing the district to conduct a criminal background check. Background checks are valid for 30 days, so the release should not be submitted more than 30 days before the scheduled from the Ride-Along date. Any background check fee is the responsibility of the rider.
- The rider will receive a Ride-Along packet to read, complete, and bring with them on the day of their Ride-Along.
Please Note: The Eagle River Fire Protection District reserves the right to deny any request. If the district does not approve your request, you will receive a timely notification of the reason.
To ensure fairness and availability, participation in the Ride-Along Program may be limited to once per year.
Standards of Conduct
A Ride-Along participant must uphold the same standards and values as ERFPD firefighters. Riders must review and understand the Ride-Along Guidelines provided prior to their scheduled date.
Attire and Appearance
A clean, and professional appearance is an essential element to being a firefighter. As a rider, you will be associated with the crew while interacting with the public and must meet the attire and grooming standards outlined in the Ride-Along Guidelines. Failure to comply may result in early termination of your Ride-Along.
Cancellations and Tardiness
The Eagle River Fire Protection District understands that emergencies may require cancellation of a scheduled Ride-Along.
- Riders must provide at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations, unless the reason is urgent (e.g., illness or family emergency).
- Riders who arrive late to a Ride-Along without prior notice will have their Ride-Along terminated and will need to reschedule.
- A restriction on any future Ride-Along may occur for a rider who fails to attend for their scheduled Ride-Along without any forward notice.
For cancellations of 24 hours or more:
Contact Lieutenant of Recruitment and Training by phone or text at (970) 763-4879.
For cancellations under 24 hours, or notification of anticipated tardiness:
Contact the on-duty Battalion Chief at (970) 977-6621.
Questions
For any questions or needs please feel free to email us at: erfpdhiring@eagleriverfire.org.