Frequently Asked Questions

Between volunteerism, Public Service, the Fire Service, evolving organizations and a dozen missions, plenty of questions can crop up that have no obvious place to find an answer. With any luck, this "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) page can answer those questions...


  • Q: When are the new ID Cards going to be ready?!
  • A: They're ready now! If you're on this list, you can call Kris Shedarowich directly at (818) 238-5044 (City of Burbank Management Services) to schedule an appointment.
  • Q: I'm not on that list. Now what?
  • A: It means you're either a potential new recruit or a member that wasn't able to attend the January meeting. You need to contact Chuck Bishop at (818) 238-5340 (City of Burbank Live Scan office). The Fire Corps orientation is a short process that will involve you reading an orientation packet, initialing and signing an orientation acknowledgement, and filling out an internal database form. Once he's received those two documents, he'll clear you to schedule an appointment with Kris Shedarowich.
    NOTE: Part of this process includes choosing a new, California DSWVP-approved Disaster Service Worker category. For a leg up on the process, check the recruitment page.
  • Q: What do I do if something serious happens before I can get my new ID card?
  • A: Present your card normally. The Burbank Police Department has been informed of the issue and should let you past checkpoints, if otherwise authorized. This, however, is not the case in any municipality outside of Burbank. Further, there are issues with DSW rules that may prevent Burbank volunteers with expired IDs from being deployed in mutual aid operations (though there are no conflicts with operations within the city). If it simply a matter of updating from CDV to Fire Corps, and not expiration date, if you were an active member, your name is now on Fire Corps roster and there should be no issues with using an older ID. We still recommend that you obtain a new ID as soon as possible.
  • Q: My card expired while I was waiting! Am I going to have to go through the Live Scan again and that whole process?
  • A: Fortunately, no. If you're in the system, you will remain in the system and will be considered an active volunteer for the duration of 2010. Now that the ID card system is operational again, your new expiration date will be three years from the time your new card is re-issued.
  • Q: I've been waiting to join Fire Corps until the new ID cards are ready. Is there anything I still have to wait for or is it okay for me to go in?
  • A: Go in! It should be a smooth process at this point. You definitely want to get in the system sooner than later, simply to be preregistered as a Disaster Service Worker through Burbank. You'll be able to do more when it matters most.
  • Q: What are these 3-letter codes I see on the Fire Corps trailer (and all the Burbank Fire engines, etc.)?
  • A: California Agency Designators, also called MACS codes (Multi-Agency Coordination System).
  • Q: Wait, is that why your Resources page lists Los Angeles City Fire as "LFD" instead of "LAFD"?
  • A: Exactly.
  • Q: Why is Burbank "BRK"? Why aren't we "BUR"?
  • A: Burlingame, CA, got there first. While Burlingame is a smaller town (a little south of San Francisco), they were incorporated in 1908. Burbank didn't incorporate until 1911.
  • Q: Wait a second... this program used to be "CDV". Did a 3 letter name throw a wrench into things?
  • A: There was a risk that if a volunteer signed himself in at a mutual-aid checkin recorder as "CDV", someone might think that Cedarville FPD was reporting for duty. Fortunately, volunteers were instructed to report as BRK-Volunteer should the situation ever arise. As far as is known, that particular situation never arose.
  • Q: But... now that we're Burbank Fire Corps, doesn't "BFC" run a similar risk?
  • A: There is a Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Department (and they even have a "Burbank Lane"), but no, there's no risk on at least two counts. First, while "BFC" is the vernacular, technically, we're the Burbank Fire Corps Program (BFCP). Second, if you're checking in as a BFCP volunteer, you're writing "BRK-V". Lastly, as the fine community of Valley Ford-Bloomfield is somewhat north of San Francisco, it's highly unlikely their volunteers will have the chance for a SoCal deployment.
  • Q: The BFCP logo says "Emergency Services", but the telephone number has people call "Disaster Services". What gives?
  • A: It depends on when you're asking. Literally. Of the six divisions in the Burbank Fire Department, the Disaster Services Division serves two authorities: the Chief of the Department and the City Manager. In the Departmental SOP (about 25 binders of material), the division is specified as "Disaster" and relates to what it does for the department, including activating special mutual aid agreements that become valid during declared disasters and major emergencies. In the City Operations manual, the division is referred to as "Emergency Services" for many of the same functions, but on a city-wide basis. There is actually an effort to standardize this to one name both in and outside of the Department. As for the volunteers, since we have a greater operational range than just disasters, "Emergency Services" was deemed the appropriate title.
  • Q: We spent so much time as "CDV", does anybody know that we're even "Fire Corps" now?
  • A: From the national level right down to the local, we're getting the word out slowly but surely.
  • Q: Who, at the local level, knows?
  • A: We're trying to spread the word in all venues. Obviously, as we do public events, our members are directly in the public eye. Beyond that, media outlets and neighboring programs have been notified. We've even been recognized by City Hall.
  • Q: I'd love to volunteer, but the thought of getting fingerprinted and having a Live Scan background check is a little daunting. Is that really necessary for a volunteer?
  • A: Don't be daunted. The background check is looking for major criminal activity, not whether you've jaywalked. Is it really necessary? Absolutely. As a disaster volunteer, you'll potentially be in a position where you're assisting victims, people who are at their most vulnerable when you're there with them. As a representative of the Burbank Fire Department, and the City of Burbank itself, we need to make sure the people we send out have passed some standards. While we can't look deep in your heart, a Live Scan background check looks deep enough.
  • Q: What happened to that "Learn-Train-Serve" motto?
  • A: That was the CDV motto and reflected the experience of the volunteers. The philosophy was to learn the learn the skills, to train those skills and use those skills in service to the public. When we transitioned to the BFCP, we adopted a new motto that better reflects the growing capacity of the Program. Not to worry, the "Learn-Train-Serve" philosophy is still valid.
  • Q: What, exactly, does "Mission Ready – Mission Capable" mean?
  • A: The motto of the Burbank Fire Corps reflects the growing operational scope of the Program. The two-part phrase indicates the training volunteers have completed ("Mission Ready"), as well as the willingness and physical capacity to execute our missions ("Mission Capable").
  • Q: Is "Make the Time" a second motto?
  • A: Technically, it's a promotional phrase, but we look at it as a motivational maxim. Volunteerism in general has to compete for the most precious commodity: time. On top of a full workweek, in a world filled with NetFlix, X-Box and 700 channels on cable, it takes a special effort to make the time to give back to the community.
  • Q: I'd like to join Burbank FIre Corps as a CERT-trained volunteer. Do you accept CERT training certificates from other organizations?
  • A: Yes! Most fire and police departments teach at least the minimum 17.5-hour FEMA curriculum. If your training meets that criteria, we'll accept it.
  • Q: CERT training is a little much for my knees right now. Is CERT required to be Fire Corps volunteer?
  • A: No. It is highly recommended, but not a requirement for membership. It is, however, a requirement for certain field deployments, certain training requirements, and may be a prerequisite for select future Operations programs.
  • Q: Okay, my knee is still bugging me, but CERT seems really cool. Is there any way I can make it through the class?
  • A: Yes. The idea of CERT training is to build preparedness and response capacity in you. While there is definitely a physical aspect to the class, it scales with your own abilities – and it's one of the reasons we give so much hands-on time in class.
  • Q: Why do you keep calling the CERT classes a "tower"?
  • A: Because we're a fire-based organization. In the fire service, academies are commonly called a tower, named after the training tower recruits master. We're bringing the tradition to CERT.
  • Q: Why do the CERT Tower numbers keep bouncing all over?
  • A: Burbank Fire started teaching CERT classes in the late 1990s but class records for that early period were lost. So, instead of numbering the classes, we designate each class by its graduation date in a month-year format.
  • Q: I keep hearing things about "Youassi"? Who is that and how do I get a grant from him?
  • A: The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas. The UASI program directly supports the National Priority on expanding regional collaboration in the National Preparedness Guidelines and is intended to assist participating jurisdictions in developing integrated regional systems for prevention, protection, response, and recovery. Unfortunately, only State Administrative Agencies can apply – though UASI grants have, at times, provided funding for various CERT and volunteer preparedness groups.

Have an Infrequently Asked Question? Send an email to the Program and we'll do our best to find an answer for you. The really good ones will be posted here.