Local Fire Department Addresses Manpower Shortages

DUNCAN FALLS, Ohio – Survival in today’s economy and keeping up with the 21st Century way of life leaves little room for traditional community involvement. 

Wayne Township Volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Cody Smith explained how a lack of interest in community involvement on top of stringent training and state required certifications are impacting the safety of his community and similar communities throughout the area.

“We’ve seen a pretty steady increase in our call volume over the years but as the call volume has increased, the number of volunteers has decreased,” Smith said. “It’s difficult to find individuals, who are willing to spend some of that spare time, what little spare time they have, at a fire department. And when you make the barrier for entry to that, hey you need to go to 160 hours of class or 240 hours of class right off the rip, before you can ever go fight a fire, that makes it difficult. So we’re a big proponent of keeping the 36 hour class. Because that’s a great gateway entry into the fire service.”

Rural volunteer fire departments respond to a plethora of emergencies; from structure fires, to vehicle and boating accidents and a variety of medical circumstances in between. Extensive training not only ensures the community’s safety but the first responder’s safety as well.

“I think the spot we’re currently in is really trying to look at those Juniors and Seniors in high school that are coming out and they really don’t know what they want to do,” Smith said. “They don’t have a career picked out yet and they’re thinking maybe public service may be, you know, the fire service, EMS, police. Being able to get access to those kids and say, hey you know, you can come down to the fire department, you can go on calls, and you can kind of see if this is for you. And if it is, we’ll put you through all the training you need to become a paid firefighter in a big city somewhere. But this is a great place to get your start. Get your feet wet and get off to the races.”

Smith believes public relations and accessibility are key to keeping rural fire departments in existence and that there’s no greater feeling than being able to lend a helping hand when a neighbor needs it the most.