Challenges Face Rural Volunteer Firefighters

By Melissa Levy, Contributing Writer

Volunteer firefighters comprise 73 percent of all US firefighters, which make them a key component in fighting the two million fires reported each year in the US. With an increase in fire department calls, volunteer personnel are being forced to do more with less.

Approximately 4,500 people die and 26,500 are injured in fires each year. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.5 billion annually. Each year, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined, and is the third leading cause of accidental death in the home; at least 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in residences.

According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, a nonprofit membership association representing the interests of volunteer fire, rescue, and EMS services, services provided by volunteer firefighters save US localities an estimated $36.8 billion a year. Small communities - those with populations under 10,000 - rely heavily on volunteer firefighters.

A 1990 survey found that there are more than 28,000 rural fire departments nationwide. Most are completely or predominately volunteer departments, and nearly one million volunteers serve in fire departments across the nation. A 1991 study, commissioned by the US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, estimated that the cost of converting the nation’s volunteer firefighters to paid status would cost about $37 billion.

Region Assists Volunteer Firefighters

Regional development organizations in small towns and rural areas are providing support and assistance to their volunteer fire departments and firefighters. According to Charles Blume, executive director of the Appalachee Regional Planning Council (RPC), an Economic Development Administration funded economic development district, Appalachee is heavily involved in training volunteer firefighters as well as first responders and emergency medical technicians.

The Appalachee RPC staffs the District II Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), which is responsible for hazardous materials emergency planning for a nine-county region. The LEPC’s primary activities include coordinating hazardous materials planning, training, emergency exercises and facility outreach.

With regard to emergency response, the LEPC has coordinated a variety of training opportunities, including courses for many local fire departments and emergency medical service agencies. Blume explained, “Since October 2001, 664 participants have received more than 5,700 hours of training in LEPC sponsored courses.” Other training courses include a 40-hour technician course in conjunction with a multi-jurisdictional exercise, a 16-hour operator class, four-hour awareness class for emergency medical service personnel, and a 16- hour operator course for all paid and volunteer fire departments in the region.

LEPC staff has also cooperated with the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project to provide a free one-day Security and Counter Terrorism of Small Water Systems workshop for the region.

In addition to training, staff has completed site visits at all facilities storing large quantities of extremely hazardous substances, as part of the process of updating the counties’ 85 hazards facilities in the region. Safety improvements recommended by Appalachee RPC were instituted.

Appalachee RPC staff are also partnering with other agencies in Gadsden County on a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), which will include ways to respond to terrorism and enhance the business communities’ ability to prepare for and recover from disasters.

Chris Rietow, Senior Planner at Appalachee RPC, explained that a working group has been formed to explore the challenges facing rural volunteer fire departments. A report is due out in October.

For More Information, Contact: Charles Blume or Chris Rietow of Appalachee RPC at 850/674-4571, email them at arpc@thearpc.org or visit them online at www.thearpc.org.

Partial List of Federal Programs
Funding Volunteer firefighters

FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
Contact: USFA Grant Program Technical Assistance Center
Emmitsburg, MD, 866/274-0960
Email usfagrants@fema.gov
Web www.usfa.fema.gov/grants

USDA Forest Service Volunteer Fire Assistance Program
Contact: Your State Forester. For a list of State Foresters
go to: www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html
Or visit: www.fs.fed.us/fire/planning/vfa

Department of Interior Rural Fire Assistance Program
Contact: Mike Benscoter Department of Interior at
208/387-5976 or your local DOI Agency.
Or visit: www.fireplan.gov/step1.cfm

Legislative Note:

Under the FY2003 VA-HUD Appropriations bill (S. 2797) adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 25, the committee recommended that $900 million go towards FEMA’s fire grant program.

At Digest press time, The FY2003 Agriculture Appropriations bill (S. 2801) adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee eliminated $100 million provided in the 2002 Farm Bill for the new Rural Strategic Planning and Implementation Program (RSIP). The committee proposal redirects the strategic planning funds, and the rural firefighting money to other programs including nutrition and USDA employee salaries, according to congressional staff. The House version retains the program as outlined in the Farm Bill.

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