LI FD Volunteers rapidly diminishing.

[Capttomo]

Volunteer firefighter ranks hit 40-year low in NYS — as the situation grows dire on Long Island: ‘It’s very disturbing’

“Response times are 10 to 15 minutes longer,” North Massapequa chief Joseph Ferrante told The Post.

nypost.com

 

[1261Truckie]

What a shame. I think the economy factors in, but I also think the "new breed" doesn't want to put in the time to train, take time to respond to calls and just get dirty. There are even some paid departments that have trouble recruiting and retaining members. The call to service is, sadly, diminishing.

 

[CVILLE7111]

Same here in parts of VA. Several counties that were all volunteers are now either combination volunteer/career or all career.

 

[lfdlt31]

Didn’t basically every career dept start as a volunteer dept that transitioned to career when they became busier and busier? I used to be a volly but I have always kind of questioned why it is so accepted in society. No other profession has places that rely solely on volunteers. There isn’t volunteer Police or doctors or transit drivers.

 

[fdhistorian]

Didn’t basically every career dept start as a volunteer dept that transitioned to career when they became busier and busier? I used to be a volly but I have always kind of questioned why it is so accepted in society. No other profession has places that rely solely on volunteers. There isn’t volunteer Police or doctors or transit drivers.

Prior to volunteers, every household in the settlement had to have a bucket and every able-bodied person had to participate in the bucket line, enforceable by fine.