More volunteer firefighters said needed in county, U.S.
Depending on the age and construction materials used in a home, once a fire catches hold, it can burn down in minutes.
An old home, built early last century, although “built with solid lumber, might be drier and burn hotter and faster,” said Redfield Fire Department Chief Danny Akines.
New construction materials also burn fast.
But for volunteer fire departments in southeast Arkansas, the manpower to fight such blazes is sorely needed.
Akines said his department, about 25 men and women on the roster, “is doing better than many others.”
He would like to have another 10 firefighters, and said, “That would be enough.”
A firefighter is now more than a first responder, as critical to a city as police and EMTs, he said. “We’re the first line of defense, whether it’s a house or wild-land fire. Often our job is to protect surrounding homes.”
Job requirements often include dealing with hazardous materials or keeping an individual alive until an ambulance arrives, Akines said.
Redfield’s population is about 1,500. The Fire Department has responded to 375 calls so far this year and it’s only now coming up on the busy season.
These calls often include structure fires, illegal burns, gas leaks, auto accidents requiring an extraction and more, Akines said.
Holiday cooking fires are common, as are ones caused by heaters.
A DIRE WARNING
“We are almost at dangerous levels of needing firefighters” in Jefferson County, said Eddie Anderson, Jefferson County Mutual Aid Association president and Al
theimer fire chief.
It’s not just a southeast Arkansas problem.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has documented the shortage and need for volunteer firefighters in communities with populations of 2,500 or less.
In a report published in 2019, the NFPA stated, “That is down significantly from the 814,850 and 729,000 volunteer firefighters that the NFPA estimates were active in the U.S. in 2015 and 2016, respectively.”
It reported that since 1983, when there were 884,600 volunteer firefighters, the number has fluctuated, but in 2017, the number dropped to 682,600.
“This report should be a wake-up call for everyone who serves in, is protected by, or cares about the volunteer fire service,” said National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chair Kevin D. Quinn.
Anderson said he has seen the number of volunteers plummet in the past 10 to 15 years in the area as well as around the state.
“There is a huge need,” Anderson said.
Besides a shift in volunteerism, Anderson said, Jefferson County is composed of several bedroom communities. “People live here but don’t work here,” he said.
This can create a disconnect between residents and community needs, he said.
A UNIQUE APPROACH
Sandy Castleberry, White Hall fire chief, said his department has about 15 volunteers but could use another approximately 17 volunteers.
“We’re holding our own but could use more help,” he said.
That means he can expect between eight to 10 people to show up for each call.
Most of the firefighters have full-time jobs and can’t always get away.
White Hall has a population of about 5,500, and the city’s Mayor Noel Foster said city officials have made “public safety a priority.”
White Hall recently added a new $400,000 custom-made Pierce pumper truck to the department. In addition, White Hall is in a sense a hybrid volunteer-paid department.
“Our firemen are paid to attend meetings, training, and paid when they respond to a fire,” Foster said.
The city pays each volunteer $25 for each call, and Castleberry said it helps when attracting recruits.
It’s expensive to operate a full-time, fully staffed department, but White Hall again, with “strategic scheduling” created an option it could afford, Foster said.
They have a firefighter at the Station 1 Monday through Friday through the daytime when, Foster said, their need is greatest because of a possible shortage of call responses.
In addition, “we try to have a fireman at the station during the overnight hours,” he said.
White Hall’s current Fire Department operating budget is about $220,000 annually, but Foster said, “We do anticipate in the near future beginning to hire full-time firemen.”
A FINAL WORD
Akines said despite leaving his wife sitting alone in a restaurant or being called away from a holiday, firefighting is a rewarding career.
For volunteers, it’s a rewarding job that, like the military, creates an unshakable bond between members of the departments, Akines said.
Anderson added that a real friendship is forged “when relying on my team members to keep me safe, and me watching out for them.”
At one time, firefighting was seen as a way of volunteering and giving back to the community, but that sentiment is changing, Castleberry said.
Akines agreed. Anderson said, “The job and helping others offers a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment.”
For more information about volunteering, call your local fire department.