Volunteer Fire Departments

[RedCeltic]

I was watching the news today at my parents home here on Long Island, NY (Still visiting on vacation) and I saw a news segment on NBC about how local volunteer fire departments are now taking on permanent PAID EMS people, because there aren’t enough qualified volunteers to do it. They had also said, that the Village of Patchogue (which is near where my Parents live and I was raised) didn’t get the boost in volunteers that other departments did from 9/11… and thus may have to end up being a totally paid fire department.

This is something I really haven’t thought about since I got out of the Navy. See, I was highly qualified from my Navy experience in fire fighting, and had considered being a volunteer fire fighter in Patchogue… however… I also wanted to get out of my parents home as soon as I could and so I needed to work two jobs, which left me little time to risk my life for free.

Anyway, seeing this program made me realize that the whole idea of a volunteer fire fighting force is to keep the county from having to pay for fire fighters… which in turn would mean more taxes. So, basically… volunteer fire fighters risk their lives to keep taxes low. And gee… I’m sure that means a lot on Long Island where some of the wealthiest people in the United States like Billy Joel and the Baldwin brothers live.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the boys down at the firehouse are all brave people and I have nothing but respect for them, but I think they should be paid with more than just having a spot to march all the parades.

[AngelWithNoWings]

My father has been a volunteer fireman for 20+ years. It has in no way taken away jobs from the firemen employed by the city. Volunteering will never be a problem, it only strengthens the community and the people in it.

[apathy maybe]

In a community such as yours fire fighters should be paid. If only because with a large population there are going to be more fires.

Where I live it is a country community with only one truck, fires are rare and having perminante people on call would be a waste. However, I do think that volunteers should be paid for each fire they attend. More like casual workers. (if you know what I mean.)

[Jesus Sanchez]

Down here in Aussie, my dad is a volunteer in the CFA (Country Fire Authority). He's been to all the major bush fires in the past 20 years. He does not get paid and he doesn't go in the parades, because he's not doing it for money or recognition, he's doing it 'cos he likes it.

[MysticArcher]

"However, I do think that volunteers should be paid for each fire they attend." apathy maybe

it sounds like a good idea, but when some smart volunteer starts setting fire to the city so he can get more money, it's not so good

I do think volunteers are admirable people, doing hard work for free and maybe they should have some sort of compensation, but that would also make things worse, since more people would join for the money. As volunteers you know each of them is dedicated and cares about saving people, but if someone joins just for pay then problems could arise.

[Saint-Just]

In a certain region of Los Angeles, somewhere near Venice Beach, they voted to reduce the size of the fire deparment so they would pay less tax. However, there was a big fire and many rich people's homes burnt down.

Anyway, Volunteer Fireman do not take away jobs. It simply underlines the existence of a lack of funding for the fire service in general as was said.

In one region in the U.S. they fitted sprinkler systems into every building, even homes. It reduced the number of fires to virtually zero however people often had their furniture soiled in false alarms.

[Fknugly]

Without volenteer FF's, what willl our grandfathers do when they retire???? :D