OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Fire Department is looking for applicants for its popular live-in program, which allows firefighters and first responders to live rent-free at the beach while gaining valuable experience on the front lines in the resort.
As the name implies, the OCFD live-in program provides living space for roughly 10 current members of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company in various fire stations throughout the town. Living space is provided to the volunteer firefighters and first responders in exchange for committing to responding to calls for at least three shifts during a typical week.
In a nutshell, it allows participants to enjoy a summer at the beach and all that entails, while gaining valuable experience on the front lines in the fire service in the resort. In some cases, former alumni of the program have gone on to rise in the ranks of the OCFD and other fire departments around the state and beyond, while for others, the summer program is a stepping stone to a different career path.
“This program is great for college students and young adults, specifically for those students who are pursuing higher education in a busy, progressive fire and EMS organization,” said OCFD Chief Chris Larmore. “Not only are we steps away from the beach, but we are located near several universities on the Eastern Shore, offering a short commute to participant who are continuing their education, not matter what their field of study may be.”
The OCFD live-in program participants must be active members of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. Many former participants have stayed with the volunteer and career companies in the resort, while others are working in allied agencies in the area. For example, Worcester County Deputy Fire Marshal Rob Korb is an OCFD live-in program alum and turned his experiences into a diverse career in emergency services.
“As a former live-in during my college years of 1998 to 2002, I always had the opportunity to be first on the truck and first on the scene,” he said. “Being on the front line of action was one of the best experiences that helped guide me further into my career in the fire service.”
Korb said the live-in program allowed him to gain valuable experience while setting him up for a successful future.
“By living at the fire station and commuting to Salisbury University, I was able to save money to buy my first house before turning 24, develop life-long friendships and take advantage of free training opportunities. The memories I made and the experience I gained was crucial to my development as a certified fire investigator, fire protection specialist and Coast Guard fire boat captain.”
Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office Captain Joshua Bunting III is also a live-in program alum, living in fire stations in the resort for several seasons while attending college the rest of the year.
“During several years of college, I was a live-in firefighter with the OCFD,” he said. “Not only did the program further cement long-standing friendships I had through the department, it provided me with an outstanding opportunity to balance my studies during the offseason with the excitement of summer in Ocean City. Being able to be a part of first-in suppression crews and familiarization with both our operations and our service area was vital to my success as a fire and explosives investigator with our department.”
For more information on the OCFD live-in program or to obtain an application, visit http://oceancitymd.gov/livein.