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Rural communities in Vermont and across the country face a number of challenges. One of them, which does not get a lot of attention, is the enormously important role that volunteer fire departments play in their communities and the struggles many of them currently have in retaining their membership and attracting new recruits.
When we make an emergency 911 call, whether it is a fire or a medical need, we expect to hear a voice on the other end of the line, and expect that help will be on the way as soon as possible. In Vermont, fire departments and EMS agencies are struggling to make that happen. As a result of the pandemic and a rapidly changing economy, many volunteer departments are very short staffed and are finding it increasingly difficult to provide the services their communities require.
In Vermont, in our larger towns, we have a number of excellent career fire departments. Like the volunteer departments, they are also struggling to maintain the staffing levels they need. But, in a rural state like Vermont, more than 80% of fire departments rely exclusively on unpaid volunteers. These are the men and women who are volunteering to fight fires, respond to medical emergencies, and tackle crises across the board. These volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities and all of us very much appreciate what they do for us. And they need our increased support.
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO FEATURING SOME OF VERMONT’S VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS FIRST RESPONDERS
The problems facing volunteer fire departments are real and are growing. Here are some: in a changing culture, how do you attract younger people to make the kind of commitments their parents did? At a time when most people are not working in the community in which they live, or have to work at two jobs to support their families, how do you attract and retain the staffing levels you need? In departments which have been predominantly male oriented, how do you bring more women in and make them feel comfortable? At a time when fire fighting and the provision of medical services have become more complex, how do we get volunteers the training they need?
First responders are also struggling with the increased costs of running a department. For example, fire trucks can cost upwards of $500,000. That is a lot of money for a small community. This is on top of the costs of outfitting firefighters with personal protective equipment and the expense of medical supplies and medications. For small, rural departments – and even for larger ones – these costs are often beyond their budgets and not something that a local fundraiser can cover.
Our firefighters and EMS first responders – both volunteer and paid – put their lives on the line to protect our communities. But they are not getting the proper support and resources they need and deserve. It’s time for that to change. It’s time for us to do some real thinking as to how we can address the very serious problems they face.
This Saturday, January 29th, I will be holding a virtual live-stream conference with Vermont firefighters and EMS providers – as well as special guest U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell – on the challenges they face and how the state and federal governments can be of help.
Please join us.
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