Since it's foundation in the 1980's the Coleta Valley Volunteer Fire Department has touched a lot of lives. We are a small department in rural Clay County, Alabama where we service a population of less than 1,000 people in both rural Clay and Talladega counties. We are blessed to have 15 active members who provide professional fire suppression, fire prevention, and emergency medical services (EMS) to the residents, and transients of our community. We also take pride in being an active part of our community's landscape outside of emergency situations. Our fire station serves as a polling center for elections, hosts a monthly community wide "ladies luncheon" and is a hub of activity for social gatherings within our community. We believe that having an informed community makes us safer, so we publish and deliver a free quarterly newsletter to all of our residents where we include home safety tips, articles on fire safety and prevention, department news, and upcoming training opportunity's. Through Federal grants and rural development programs we are blessed to have quality turnout gear, equipment, and trucks. The Bible says in Luke 12:48 "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more", we wholeheartedly believe this. Which is why we also constantly strive to improve ourselves and highly encourage our members to seek out and pursue any and all training they desire. For the calendar years of 2010 and 2011 our department had a combined total of over 2,500 hours in training so far. Our firefighters have became State of Alabama certified "Volunteer Firefighters" (a 200 hour school), EMT-Basics, Fire Service Instructors, Fire Investigators, Pump Operators, CPR Instructors, and many other things. All of this has been on a volunteer basis, they devote their time and talents to pursue this training to make their community, our community, a safer place. And while we strive to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we are dependent on you, the people who live in or visit our community, for support. We are like countless other rural volunteer fire departments across Alabama, and America, who have to work to make our ends meet for "day to day" expenses. Things such as utility bills, fuel for our trucks, equipment repairs, training materials, and mortgage payments are paid for with money raised through fund raisers. We cook several hundred Boston Butts per year, conduct all day car washes, fill the boot drives, and raffle off chances on gift cards. We at the Coleta Valley Volunteer Fire Department appreciate you taking the time to read our page, and we hope that you become a fan. If you are ever in the neighborhood, feel free to blow the horn as you pass by, or stop and slip some money under the door!
