Public Safety Volunteer Opportunities

SKYWARN®
SKYWARN® is a National Weather Service (NWS) program developed in the 1960s that consists of trained weather spotters who provide reports of severe and hazardous weather to help meteorologists make life-saving warning decisions. Spotters are concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, mariners, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials who volunteer their time and energy to report on hazardous weather impacting their community.

Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES)
FCC-licensed Amateur Radio Operators, of a technician class or higher in Tarrant County, volunteer their time to make this a better place to live and work. There are specific requirements to join and be a part of RACES.

Community Emergency Reponse Team (CERT)
The purpose of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training is to provide citizens with basic skills that they will need to respond to their community’s immediate needs in the aftermath of an extreme disaster, when emergency services are not immediately available. By working together, CERTs can assist in saving lives and protecting property using the basic techniques in this course. This training is free of charge and open to anyone who has a vested interest in the City of Fort Worth.

Citizens Police Academy
Citizens Police Academy is an eight week informative program sponsored by the Fort Worth Police Department. The main objective and intent of the program is to familiarize and educate our community with the training, commitment and dedication required of a Fort Worth Police Officer. This program is open to anyone over the age of 21 with an interest of learning more about the nature of police work.

Citizens on Patrol
Citizens on Patrol members provide extra eyes and ears for the Fort Worth Police Department and work closely with Neighborhood Police Officers to prevent or solve crimes.

The Clergy and Police Alliance Program (C.A.P.A.)
The Clergy and Police Alliance program (C.A.P.A.) is a coalition of clergy from every faith and denomination who work in partnership with the Fort Worth Police Department.

Explorer Program
Exploring is a career educational and experience-based program designed to help young people develop into mature, caring and responsible adults.

Citizens Fire Academy
Get involved with the Fire Department on a more personal level by joining the Citizens Fire Academy. Established in 1995, Citizens Fire Academy uses curriculum and teaching methods similar to the professional Fire Academy, but students will not be candidates for professional firefighting based upon participation.

Red Helmets
The Red Helmets is an organization of dedicated civilian volunteers that have been providing rehab and relief to the Fort Worth Fire Department for nearly 50 years. Membership is made up of residents willing to give time and energy back to the community.

Teen Court
Teen Court was developed and is sanctioned by the Texas Legislature for teenagers 10-17 years old and others currently enrolled in high school who receive Class C citations from the City of Fort Worth. Participation is voluntary and completion of the requirements will result in dismissal of the citation.

Code Rangers
The Code Rangers program seeks to promote healthy neighborhoods through community empowerment and action by establishing and maintaining a strong relationship between citizens’ organizations and the Fort Worth Code Compliance Department. Trained Code Rangers participants provide reports of suspected code violations.