KILLINGLY, Conn. (AP) -- Emergency worker shortages are forcing agencies in eastern Connecticut towns to seek volunteers.
The problem is increasingly acute because residents work during the day and devote evenings to families. In addition, population growth adds to the demand for emergency services and the state's strict training requirements make it difficult to enlist volunteers.
``With many people working out of town, or having to work two jobs to make ends meet, it's difficult to get people to answer calls,'' said Danielson Fire Chief Richard Levola. ``Years ago, most people worked in the towns in which they lived, so they could be available when the fire alarm rang. But times have changed.''
Randy Daggett, administrator of the K-B Ambulance Corps, said he needs recruits for evenings.
The ambulance corps has one unit staffed by paid workers from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and a paid crew on duty around-the-clock weekends.
Volunteers must be called if paid workers get a second call while they are answering the first one, Daggett said.
``Even with 52 active members in the corps, we sometimes have trouble getting a crew together,'' he said.
Killingly is not alone in its emergency staff shortage.
``It's a constant recruiting and retention effort,'' said Steve Merchant, fire marshal and fire administrator in Griswold.
Griswold is trying to recruit volunteers through its Junior Cadet corps, he said. Griswold and Jewett City, the town's two departments, added 10 new cadets in the last year.
Many towns also have initiated incentive programs to attract and keep members by paying stipends or providing retirement benefits or tax breaks to volunteer firefighters, Merchant said.
``The biggest thing is finding someone willing to give a lot of time and someone who doesn't mind having his routine interrupted on a regular basis,'' he said
The lack of daytime volunteers also has increased the number of mutual aid fire calls that departments must answer to help others facing staff shortages, said Dayville Fire Chief Michael Hewko. His department has found three volunteers from the classified ads.
