Scores of Farm Bureau members answer the call at their local station. But like farmers themselves, the number of people answering the call has fallen over the years. Now, the need for volunteer firefighters is at a critical juncture.
Adam Lewis’ son, Linden, is a fixture at his dad’s firehouse in Gallia County.
The 9-year-old has a love for the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department that his father hopes will translate into becoming a volunteer firefighter someday. The elder Lewis, a Jackson-Vinton Farm Bureau member, is assistant fire chief of the department, a state highway patrolman and a farmer.
He followed in his father’s footsteps, too, growing up to be a volunteer firefighter.
Scores of Farm Bureau members answer the call at their local station. But like farmers themselves, the number of people answering the call has fallen over the years. Now, the need for volunteer firefighters is at a critical juncture.
In late August, Gov. Mike DeWine announced an eight-week public service announcement campaign to encourage Ohioans to become volunteer firefighters. He noted that while the number of volunteers is decreasing, the requests for the services from volunteer fire departments is not.
“The number of calls these departments receive is increasing and increasing significantly,” DeWine said. About 70% of fire departments in Ohio are staffed by volunteers, and most of those departments serve rural communities.
The PSA volunteer firefighter campaign featured testimonials from volunteer firefighters and encouraged those interested in serving to visit a website to learn more.
Lewis said his fire department is trying hard to recruit and maintain volunteers. Though the positions are unpaid, there is paid training and some incentives, like gift cards, for showing up to work, whether that is on a fire run, training or a meeting.
Greenfield Township also has a family-oriented environment with an eye toward the future. Like Linden, there are other kids who come with their parents as well.
“We encourage families to come when there’s a meeting or training,” he said. “That’s how you get people interested in being a firefighter at a young age. We show them what we do.”
Lewis said the Greenfield Township department is “hurting to get people during the daytime.”
Recently, he went out to support an EMT run and just one other volunteer answered the call.
“Many people can’t just up and leave a job to take a fire call,” he said.
Fatigue is another factor. In the early 2000s, Lewis said there might have been 25-30 people answering a call, now it is often the same five people. “There is burnout when it’s the same people who show up.”
Ideally the department would like to have 8-10 people respond so they can get two or three firefighters per truck. Now, Lewis often makes a request from his driveway before he leaves home for mutual aid from neighboring departments, depending on the call that comes in.
“It’s better to have more people coming to help than not having enough,” Lewis said.
Anyone with a desire to serve can be a volunteer firefighter or EMT. Prior experience in emergency services is not required: Training is provided. Local departments will have specific requirements, such as a minimum age or background check.
Currently, more than 400 positions remain unfilled throughout the state.
Visit makemeafirefighter.org to learn more about becoming a volunteer firefighter in the state.
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