Auburn Volunteer Fire Department

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

Being a volunteer firefighter can be harder than being a paid firefighter.

Before anyone gets offended, this isn't a knock on career firefighters. The job is hard either way. The difference is what happens before and after the call.

A paid firefighter goes to the station, works a shift, answers calls, trains, eats, sleeps when they can, and eventually goes home.

A volunteer firefighter answers the same alarm but often after working a full-time job, raising a family, dealing with everyday responsibilities, and living life just like everyone else.

The pager goes off at 2:00 in the morning? You get up.

Structure fire? You leave your family and respond.

Medical emergency? You stop whatever you're doing.

Vehicle accident? You show up.

And when the call is over, you don't necessarily go back to a station and get paid for the hours you just gave away. You go back to work the next morning. You go back to your family. You go back to your responsibilities.

You sacrifice time, sleep, weekends, holidays, family events, and sometimes your own safety without a paycheck.

That's what makes volunteering different.

A volunteer firefighter doesn't do it because it's a career.

They do it because they believe their community is worth serving.

So before you look at the word *volunteer* and think it means less trained, less committed, or less capable remember this:

Volunteer doesn't mean amateur.

It means someone was willing to run toward the emergency when they could have stayed home.

And sometimes the hardest part isn't answering the call.

It's answering it when nobody is paying you to do it.

08/08/2026

Control Burn this morning
Firefighters from Auburn, Peru and Elk Creek

07/04/2026

05/31/2026

New Flagpole is up after the storm.
This one is in
memory of Larry Dorsch 1945 - 2025

05/15/2026

We’re proud to help support the Auburn Fire Department with new grain engulfment rescue equipment.

Investing in rural communities means investing in the people who keep them safe, and we’re grateful to play a small part in helping keep our communities safe.

03/13/2026

Effective immediately the Governor has issued an Executive Order that bans the issuance of Open Burn Permits for 14 days. The Executive Order prohibits any fire chief or person designated by the fire chief from granting an open burn permit for any purpose. Any existing burn permit that has not been completed is null and void and open burning is not permitted for 14 consecutive days beginning now.

This order will be reviewed prior to its termination to determine the need to extend the ban. Further information will be provided prior to that date.

The Executive Order document will be issued later today when all required parties have signed it.

Please feel free to share this message as needed and contact me with any questions.

Thanks
Doug Hohbein

State Fire Marshal

12/06/2025

The AVFD will be conducting a training burn this Saturday 12/6/2025 in the area of 26th and N streets. Please be aware that a small portion of 26th street will be closed to traffic for the duration of the burn. Expect to see a presence of emergency vehicles and responders in the area.