Ohio lack volunteer firefighters

Adam Lewis’ son, Linden, is a fixture at his dad’s firehouse in Gallia County.

Adam and Linden Lewis
Adam Lewis and his son, Linden

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.

Ohio volunteer firefighter training
CPR and first aid training

“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.

How to join a local department

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.

The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

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Giving farmers a voice
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
Kevin Holy's avatar
Kevin Holy

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I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
Gretchan Francis's avatar
Gretchan Francis

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We really appreciate what Farm Bureau has done to get people interested in this line of work and workforce development and getting people interested in this industry.
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Jody Brown Boyd

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David Thomas's avatar
David Thomas

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Because we are younger farmers just starting out, Farm Bureau has a lot of good opportunities and resources to help us grow in the future.
Hannah Kiser's avatar
Hannah Kiser

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Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
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Chad Ruhl

Farm manager, CSI Insurance

Select Partner Program
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

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