May 26--YORK, Pa -- Ask just about any firefighter in York County, and they'll tell you the community of volunteer firefighting has changed.
People just don't volunteer like they used to.
It's a problem that's hurting nearly every department in York County, said Jim Ostinowsky, assistant fire chief with Goodwill Fire Company in Jacobus.
Ten active volunteers respond to about 300 calls a year within the area, Ostinowsky said. But because of their limited staff, they rely on nearly every member to be available for each call.
"It's a strain," Ostinowsky said. "We've had to expand the amount of fire departments we call for assistance because we know we don't have enough manpower."
Ideally, Ostinowsky said, they'd like 20 to 25 members.
"To put it simply, we feel bombarded with calls and not enough people to go out," he said.
Ostinowsky, along with Goodwill's Fire Chief Shannon Blevins, remember joining fire departments as junior firefighters at 14. Back then, Blevins said, it was something exciting to do. And there was a sense of accomplishment and community in helping others through the fire service.
Similarly, Chief Ira Walker with Eureka Volunteer Fire Company in Stewartstown said he remembers when joining the fire department was something people did because they saw the necessity.
But times have changed.
People work different shifts, multiple jobs and outside of the area, Walker said.
While most department requirements vary, Ostinowsky said Goodwill requires officers or board members attend a certain amount of meetings. For those who want to assist as their time permits, Ostinowsky said, they have no mandatory requirements.
"We are trying to implement certain annual training refreshers in order to be compliant with the National Fire Protection Association's guidelines," he said.
Members at Goodwill aren't required to leave their full-time jobs for a call, he added, but there is a state law that protects firefighters who might be late or miss work in the event they have to answer an alarm.
Former York Fire/Rescue Services Chief Steve Buffington, who is now president of the York County Fire Chiefs Association, said he remembers working his first full-time job out of high school. Anytime there was a second-alarm fire or greater in the city, he said, the company dismissed their employees to go fight the fire.
"You'd be hard pressed to find a company that did that today," Buffington said.
In addition to losing volunteers, there are more calls coming in to each department.
"When I joined the service, we had less than 100 calls a year," Walker said. "We now have more than 400. And it fluctuates, but we're working with about the same amount of people we had back then."
Walker said they have about 12 members available for the average fire call, but that number drops to about six during the day when people are working.
The national recommendation by the NFPA for a typical house fire is 21 firefighters, but most departments fill that gap by calling on other departments to respond, Walker said.
"We're in the same boat as everyone else, but we're not in what I feel is a critical stage just yet," Walker said.
His department recently started an incentive program where, based on a points system, members can be awarded a dollar amount for attending meetings, going on emergency calls and taking part in training.
While there are some tax dollars and grant money awarded to departments, most rely on fundraising and donations to pay for anything from a $2,000 firefighter uniform to a $350,000 fire truck.
"We often put it in our yearly mailer that we'd like to get more help, whether fighting fires, fire policing or fundraising," Walker said. "I can't say people are knocking the doors off to do that."
What most people don't realize, Walker said, is that there are about 50 people taking care of 10,000 that live in the fire department's area.
"Obviously, at some point, we'll need manpower help and not just monetary help," Walker said.
Buffington added that communities that rely on volunteer fire departments are "getting a deal" when it comes to their taxes.
"People don't realize that if a paid department came into their community that their taxes would increase," he said. "If they want to keep that low, they're going to have to start stepping up to help."
As a selling point, Ostinowsky said, his department tells people interested in joining the fire service that they never have to put any money down.
While it costs between $5,000 and $8,000 to train and equip a firefighter, most companies pay that expense, he said. All the training, about 175 hours to start, can be done at the York County Fire School.
And while the training is demanding, it's rewarding, Ostinowsky said.
"I love doing what I do," Ostinowsky said. "It's tough. But coming in to the service as a volunteer is a great step to not only help your community, but possibly making it a career."
Many young firefighters start out as volunteers and then try to find paid positions with other departments, or state or federal agencies.
Despite most people seeing firefighters in action at a large blaze, only 5 percent of nationwide responses are for house fires, Ostinowsky said.
Most responses are for alarms, gas leaks, water rescues and hazard calls.
"You don't have to worry so much about always fighting fires," Ostinowsky said. "You like to drive? We have guys that just drive the fire trucks. Sometimes there are guys that only come to water rescues. You find what you like and you make it work. At this point, we take what we can get."
One volunteer department that seems to have found a niche is the Dover Township Volunteer Fire Department. Because the station is able to offer a live-in program, it attracts a lot of younger members who want to keep busy with calls.
Deputy Fire Chief Brian Widmayer, 26, is the oldest of 12 members, ranging in age from 18 to 24, who live at the station. The rule is that there's a minimum of four members who are always at the station and they have to go on every call that comes in while they're there, Widmayer said.
Because they always have people to go immediately to calls, they find their response times are better, which increases their chances of saving a structure during a fire.
"We save barns, which is unheard of," Widmayer said. "Most are fully involved by the time you get on scene."
The toughest part for many of the fire companies is retaining members. Younger ones go off to college and sometimes don't return to fire service.
"It's a cost, because you pay for the training and the equipment and then they might be gone," Ostinowsky said. "You justify it because you're desperate for the help."
Many in the volunteer fire service hope it hangs on long enough for the next generation.
"There's a lot of good in having this," Blevins said. "I know it's a benefit to the community."
How to help
Anyone interested in volunteering with Goodwill Fire Company in Jacobus can email Assistant Chief Jim Ostinowsky at [email protected].
Anyone who wants to find out how to volunteer for their community fire department is asked to call the York County Fire School at 717-767-4097.
Training
The state fire commissioner's office regulates the training required for anyone who wants to become a firefighter, according to Rich Halpin with the York County Fire School.
Before anyone is considered a firefighter, they must complete the following schedule of classes:
Introduction to fire service -- 16 hours
Hazardous Materials First Responder Awareness Course -- 7 hours
Fireground Support -- 32 hours
National Incident Management Systems
Introduction to the Incident Command System
Exterior Firefighting -- 56 hours
Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations Course -- 24 hours
Interior Firefighting -- 40 hours
Halpin said most fire departments pay a $200 subscription fee which allows them to send as many firefighters as they want to take these courses, which are the same as those provided at Harrisburg Area Community College. If needed, Halpin said, firefighters go to a class at HACC depending on the schedule.
Most classes at the fire school have anywhere between 10 and 30 participants and the basic firefighter courses are offered three times a year.
Copyright 2013 - York Daily Record, Pa.
