Ky. Lawmakers Mull Credit For Volunteer Firefighters

Jan. 07--Smiths Grove Rural Fire Department Chief Kenneth Priddy estimates that he spends several hundred dollars a year out of his personal budget buying what he needs to be a volunteer firefighter.

The cost is one of the reasons it's hard for volunteer departments to recruit and retain certified firefighters, he said.

But House Bill 193 could provide some relief by offsetting $1,000 in expenses.

Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Brownsville, is sponsoring the legislation, which would provide a $1,000 refundable state income tax credit for any certified volunteer firefighter.

Meredith's entire legislative district is served by volunteer fire departments.

"My father has been a volunteer firefighter for 35 years and my brother has been doing it for about five now. My whole life I've watched the sacrifices that they have made," Meredith said about volunteer firefighters.

To become certified, volunteers must take 150 hours of classroom and field training. Every year after that initial certification, volunteer firefighters have to take an additional 20 hours of classroom and field training.

Often the classes needed to maintain certification aren't offered within the department, which means the volunteers must travel and pay for their travel expenses to keep their certification. Volunteers also pay for some emergency equipment, such as red light bars and sirens for their personal vehicles.

"It costs money to be a volunteer," said Tim Witten, a 30-year veteran volunteer firefighter for the Alvaton Fire Department.

"Sometimes the public doesn't realize that these volunteers buy their own sirens and light bars, plus gas," Witten said. "That all comes out of their pockets and family budgets.

"Even though they dedicate their time and the departments do a good job of getting equipment and gear, there is still a great amount of money that a volunteer has to shell out themselves that they are never reimbursed for," he said.

Tim Myer, the assistant fire chief for the Alvaton Fire Department, hopes that if the bill passes this session, it will help with recruitment and retention, especially as firefighters have to contend with rising fuel costs. Volunteers often drive their personal cars to fire scenes and meet up with crews that bring in the big trucks.

"I hope it will be a recruitment and retention tool for those departments as well," Meredith said.

"That's one of the reasons we can't keep people," Priddy said. "It costs money. It's time consuming. There's a lot of hours involved in getting certification.

"This little bit will be a big help," he said.

Copyright 2012 - Daily News, Bowling Green, Ky.