To participate in the Ride Along program, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Non-uniformed personnel of the District.
• Immediate family members (16 years or older) of District personnel.
• Current first responders from other jurisdictions.
• Medical staff from local hospitals or healthcare organizations.
• Members of recognized news media.
• Individuals from partnering agencies or schools, as per contract agreements.
• Students enrolled in paramedic, EMT, or firefighter training programs.
• Students (16 years or older) participating in an applicable program within the Peninsula School District or those interested in the fire service field.
• Individuals referred by an employee of the District.
• Must reside in one of the following zip codes (98332, 98333, 98335), or be recommended by a current Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One employee.

To participate in the Ride-Along program, you must agree to the following guidelines:

• Age Requirement: Participants must be at least 16 years old and meet one or more of the eligibility criteria.
• Request Review: All requests will be reviewed and accommodated based on the availability of District personnel and provided they do not interfere with normal operations. There is no guarantee or expectation that all requests will be accommodated.
• Proof of Eligibility: Supporting documentation to verify eligibility must be provided upon request.
• Participant Limit: Only one individual will be scheduled for a ride along per District station at any given time.
• Frequency: Each individual is limited to one ride along per calendar year unless additional rides are authorized.
• Orientation: On the day of the ride along, the officer in charge will review an Orientation Checklist with the participant.

Review what to expect during your ride-along, including attire, safety, conduct, and participation guidelines.

1. Riders should dress in a professional manner. While participating in the program, the rider represents the District and will be visible to the community. Clothing should not be form-fitting or extra loose. Appropriate attire may include long or short-sleeved shirt, plain sweatshirt, jeans, khakis, and sturdy shoes (no holes, cut-offs, tank tops, baseball caps or unprofessional clothing).
2. Riders are observers only and shall not, under any circumstances, become involved either verbally or physically in any call. If riders have any questions regarding a call, they may ask the officer in charge when the situation is over.
3. Riders must follow all the instructions given by the officer in charge.
4. Riders shall not, under any circumstances, have weapons of any type in their possession while participating in the ride along.
5. Rider will wear a safety vest marked "OBSERVER" during all incidents.
6. If a situation develops in which the officer in charge believes that the rider will be placed at an unacceptable risk of harm, the officer may, at their own discretion, leave the rider at the station or drop off at a location previously discussed with the rider.
7. If the rider experiences any emergencies during the ride along, contact the officer in charge.
8. An individual may be denied ridership for any reason and participation in a ride along is at the sole discretion of the District and may be denied or cancelled at any time, for no specific reason.
9. The ride along may include numerous types of activities, including responding to both emergency and non-emergency calls. Calls are responded to for as long as it takes to mitigate the circumstance. The rider is responsible for communicating any potential scheduling conflicts to the assigned officer in charge as soon as possible to avoid any conflicts.
10. If a rider is on a call that may extend beyond the scheduled ride along end time, the rider will need to either remain at the call until complete and return to the station with District personnel, or arrange for alternate transportation to leave the scene, only if it is safe to do so.

I am hereby requesting permission to accompany Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One (GHFMO) personnel on fire or emergency calls. In consideration for granting me permission to engage in these activities, I hereby agree to the following:

I hereby release and agree to hold harmless GHFMO, and all its officers, agents or employees, from any and all liability, loss, death, injury or damage sustained by me resulting from, arising out of, or in any way connected with my accompanying GHFMO personnel on fire or emergency calls, during the authorized ride along period.

I further agree that my activities, during the approved ride along period, are at my own risk and I hereby agree to indemnify GHFMO and all of its officers, agent, and employees from any and all liability, loss or damage which results from, arises out of, or is in any way connected with my activities while participating in the ride along.

I understand that during the ride along, I may be exposed to potential communicable diseases, such as Hepatitis B, MMR and Tuberculosis, from patients receiving medical care and treatment by GHFMO personnel. In certain cases, these communicable diseases could cause serious illness and possibly death.

I acknowledge that I will be present when protected health information (PHI) is discussed between GHFMO personnel and patients. I understand the importance of protecting the confidentiality of patient information, in every form and I agree to the following, as a condition of being allowed to participate in a ride along:

• Not use or further disclose PHI except as permitted under this agreement or as required by law.
• Use appropriate safeguards to prevent use or disclosure of PHI, except as permitted by this agreement.
• Mitigate, to the extent practicable, any harmful effect that is known to me of a use or disclosure of PHI by me in violation of this agreement.

Report to GHFMO personnel any use or disclosure of PHI for by this agreement of which I become aware.

I will immediately notify GHFMO personnel in the event I am injured and/or exposed to a hazardous condition.

I consent and authorize GHFMO to use and reproduce videos and photographs taken of me/my minor child during the ride along experience for publicity purposes.

Participation Consent and Waiver

By participating in the Ride-Along Program, I acknowledge that I have received, reviewed, and fully understand the terms and conditions set forth in the Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Ride-Along Program: Release and Liability Waiver. I hereby consent to participate in the program under these terms, and I agree to abide by the conditions stated. 

Parent Consent for Minors (Under 18)

If the rider is under the age of eighteen (18), parent's consent and signature is required to participate.

By allowing my minor child to participate in the Ride-Along Program, I acknowledge that I have received, reviewed, and fully understand the terms and conditions set forth in the Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Ride-Along Program: Release and Liability Waiver. I hereby consent to my child’s participation in the program under these terms, and I agree to ensure my child abides by the conditions stated.

A paper copy of the Release and Liability Waiver is available upon request.