The volunteer fire and rescue response problem is happening pretty much anywhere you look and listen these days. It is not new-and it is not getting better. It is any-town where the community is (unknowingly) relying to see “who” may be around and “who” may show up when the tones and sirens sound.
Unfortunately, when there are not assured “on call” members-or in quarters duty crews, it is the “crap shoot dispatch system.”
Sound the alarm and let’s see who shows up.
It doesn’t work and it is proven to not work everyday.
The following clip very vividly demonstrates the problem of fire growth as the alarm sirens sound in the background.
Watch This Video: (Fire Growth)
Watch This Video After-Chiefs and Companies Arrive:
This problem of slow (or no) response is hardly limited to one community. It’s almost everywhere, where fully volunteer FDs are relied upon to respond with no assured duty crew, other assured regional backup or reliable resources. Are there exceptions?..Some-but unfortunately not how “it used to be.”
This is not at all an anti-volunteer issue. However it is a problem that people in positions of authority can change-in the volunteer fire department, in the fire company or whoever is responsible..And the members can often also change it….when they want to. Volunteer departments in many areas have changed their “response model” from “crap shoot” to “assured response” to meet the need of “today’s” community-vs still operating the same way they did in 1975.
It’s an issue that requires un-blurred understanding that when the public dials 9-1-1 for their emergency-the emergency is already underway. What’s needed is rapid response with qualified and trained people on the equipment to fix the problem.
Not set the tones off again.
Not blow the sirens again.
Not “page it out again-and again”
And it can absolutely be done with volunteer personnel-if the department is willing to change based upon what is clearly needed vs what isn’t working any longer.
RELATED:
They Aren’t Coming:
https://tinyurl.com/u4sfx36
Editorial Comment
Billy G