A Focus on the Mission ... And why some succeed, and some fail
There is currently a lot of discussion nationally regarding volunteer fire departments. Just recently, USA Today ran a front page story on the subject of VFD membership and respons, and in NY, on Long Island, the newspaper Newsday is running a week long in-depth series about the VFD's on Long Island.
Volunteer FD's. Some are very successful and provide good SERVICE to those who dial
9-1-1 ... and others simply do not. Generally, the BOTTOM LINE is staffing, timely response, training, leadership amongst other serious challenges. After all, saving money with a VFD may be good but if the VFD has poor response times, poor turnout, little or inadequate training or poor leadership -- all issues facing some volunteer FD's (and some non-volunteer FD's as well), the money savings is B.S. The community "feels" like they are protected ... but are they? The true answers are always known by those who carry the fire pagers.
Join [email protected]'s Through The Smoke radio program with host Billy Goldfeder and his guests this week: Former Chief, Dr. Bill Jenaway, a nationally-recognized authority on the volunteer fire service, Chief Randy O'Donnell of West End Fire & Rescue in Shippensburg, PA and Former Chief Crawford Wiestling, President of Investigative Loss Control, Inc., in Minneapolis, MN, for an intimate discussion on why some volunteer fire departments succeed ... and why some fail.
Related Links
• IAFC VCOS Red and Blue Ribbon Reports on the Volunteer Fire Service
• PA's SR 60 Legislation for the Fire Service
• West End Fire & Rescue Company
• National Volunteer Fire Council "Cost Saving" Calculator
If you have suggestions, questions or comments, please e-mail them to: [email protected]
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