National Volunteer Fire Council — Small Fire Stations Losing Volunteers
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National Volunteer Fire Council — Small Fire Stations Losing Volunteers:
Small Fire Stations Losing VolunteersMany small towns face a dearth of emergency responders as cities forbid their crews from serving other towns in their spare time.
By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
ROCKY HILL, CONN. – Fire Chief Joe Kochanek has a hard enough time making sure his volunteer department in this small town on the western bank of the Connecticut River stays fully staffed. Then the news from nearby Hartford hit.
In a new contract with its career firefighters, the city forbids them to volunteer at their hometown fire stations. The Hartford chief cites health and safety concerns. Chief Kochanek, who will lose two of his most qualified men, cites indignation.
“The reasons they’re giving for doing this are totally, totally wrong,” says Kochanek, standing arms akimbo in front of the shiny yellow trucks, parked in the new brick firehouse. “The fires in Hartford are no different from the fires here. If you say you’re going to get hurt in Rocky Hill, what makes you think you’re not going to get hurt in Hartford?” (Read More)
