About Us

The Corning Joint Fire District has 3 fire stations located in the Town of Corning and was founded in 2020 by a dedicated group of community residents and members of the fire service that recognized a need to change current firefighting operations. Prior to 2020 the three fire stations operated independently from one another and had three separate governing bodies. The Joint fire district allowed all three stations to operate under one centralized governing body providing for a safer and more efficient fire service in the area.

The Fire Departments are located at 11873 East Corning Road in the Town of Corning. 7 Clark St Village of South Corning and 3344 Baker St ext, Town of Corning we provide fire suppression, rescue and medical 1st Responder services to a 37 square mile suburban/rural area. Our primary service area includes Corning Community College Guthrie Corning Hospital and over 10,000 residential properties and businesses. Other critical infrastructure includes 3 miles of rail lines and interstate highway (I86). Mutual aid agreements with neighboring departments, including Big Flats VFD and the City of Corning, expand our potential response area to more than 50,000 residents, a diverse array of residential and commercial properties, and thousands of acres of rural farms and woodlands. The CJFD currently maintains a fleet of three engines, three rescue vehicles, two brush trucks, and two tankers. Typically, we respond to about 450 emergency response events per year.

We are dedicated to serving people and business organizations in our community in their time of need. Fire engines don’t put out fires – people do. Defibrillators don’t save lives – people do. The Jaws-of-Life never rescued anyone on its own – but this technology can save lives in the hands of a well-trained individual. Our members are our greatest asset and we want you to be a part of our team.

How We Are Organized

The Corning Joint Fire District is organized according to administrative and line functions. Administrative operations are managed by the fire commission. Responsibility for emergency response operation lies with the District Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, and three District Assistant Chiefs and a team of several assigned Captains and Lieutenants. Working closely together, the fire commissioners and line officers establish operational priorities and goals, develop implementation plans, create and manage budgets, train members to become proficient in their expected duties and ensure compliance with OSHA and other regulatory requirement.

Our organization operates under a ‘chain of command.’ This chain of command is very important in that it provides clear direction, lines of communications, and accountability for everyone involved in the chain. On an incident scene, the chain of command helps clarify areas of responsibility and accountability for conducting efficient operations and ensuring the personal safety of every individual working within the incident command system. A key element of this system is that each level only reports to one supervisor. Firefighters report to a Captain. Captains report to the Assistant Chiefs and they, in turn, report to the Deputy Chiefs who report to the District Chief.

Teamwork is the foundation of our success – during an emergency and back at the station. Before you can become a good leader, you need to learn to be a good follower. Knowing and understanding how you fit into the chain of command will be one of the most important lessons you can learn. Know your position and play it well. You will receive a copy of our current organizational chart – or chain of command – during your new recruit orientation.

Training

The CJFD provides in-house training every Monday night from 18:00 to 21:00. This is under the direction of the CJFD training officer. All members are expected to attend as many of these sessions as their schedules allow. New members will be required to complete training provided by NYS Office of Fire Prevention & Control and comply with NYS OSHA training regulations. Additionally, we regularly cross-train with other emergency service organizations in in the area which provide and/or receive mutual assistance for/from our organization.

Business Meetings

The Fire Department’s business meetings are held at 7pm on the 1st Monday of every month. All members are expected to attend whenever they are available.

How We Respond

Unlike a career paid fire department, we have no scheduled duty shifts. Rather, all members are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, volunteers respond only when they are available in the area of our protection district.

CJFD stations 16, 34 and 43 are dispatched through the Steuben County E-911 Center. Utilizing an enhanced 911 system (E-911) technology, dispatchers alert our volunteers via Motorola pagers with voice and tone capability. Cell phone technology is also utilized with text message reports of emergency events. Upon being dispatched, volunteers respond to the station that they are assigned to in order to man the appropriate apparatus, and respond to the scene. Only Chief Officers respond directly to the scene.

Expectations

Although no previous experience or training is required, you need more than just a desire to help people. You also need courage and dedication, assertiveness, and a willingness to learn new skills and face new challenges. Our service is one that calls on its members to perform hot, sweaty, dirty, strenuous work, often in uncertain and hazardous environments.

Our volunteers need to be team players, respecting each other’s role and contributions. You need to be able to work on-call and to deal with occasional interruptions to your lifestyle, dropping what you’re doing at the ‘sound of the bell’ to respond to the emergency needs of your fellow citizen.

A new recruit can expect to spend varied amounts of time on fire company business. This entails meetings, training, emergency responses and other miscellaneous activities. Some weeks will be more and other weeks much less. The days of the week or times may vary depending on the level of activity. However, most regularly scheduled events occur on Monday evenings.