Opening up our mail last week we found the annual request for donations from a local volunteer fire company.  It was the start-up of their annual request asking the public to help themselves by helping the organization.  Sound advice.

Thirty years ago, local volunteer firefighters responded to less than 100 emergency calls each year.  Today, our locals respond to one about every 36 hours.  Twenty-five years ago, the engines and trucks of our community fire companies were staffed with six or eight firefighters each.  Today, they’re pleased if they get four qualified volunteers with each responding unit.

Twenty years ago, local businesses and industry were proud to have volunteer firefighters working for them and showed a high level of respect and care for the community by permitting them to leave their work station to respond to a neighbor’s cry for help – especially during the daytime, when volunteers are hard to find.  Today it’s all about the money – a check for a contribution to the locals, with a set amount, that may or may not represent a fair contribution, determined by a home office or accountant located miles away from the community.  We sign the check, go about our business and sleep well at night.

Back in the day, to volunteer one simply needed to show up at the firehouse and, after a short training period, became a qualified firefighter.  Today it takes hundreds of hours to become qualified and maintain the level of efficiency required in today’s world of chemicals, biohazards and other potentially deadly combinations of man-made or natural hazards.

Years ago we took for granted the knowledge that our local business and industry leaders had about the volunteer fire service.  After all, some of them stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other volunteers in heavy gear and equipment, experiencing things you would never want someone else to go through.  Those who couldn’t stand with you sent, in their stead, qualified employees to help save the day.  It was a commitment to the community that money couldn’t buy.

Today, many of the businesses and industries in our region have few personal ties to the community and are schooled in the concept that a token donation based on corporate policy is good enough.

Yes the volunteer fire companies appreciate your donation – they appreciate anything they get.  They will not complain because they’re volunteers.  They don’t do what they do for money.  They will never tell you not to call them; even if you’re not sure that you have an emergency.  Any delay in calling for help could endanger employees and firefighters.  Their creed is that it’s better to be called and not needed than needed and not called.

We encourage business and industry leaders to learn more about their local volunteer fire companies and their policies, procedures capabilities and needs.  This is not something you’ll likely do during a daytime breakfast or luncheon – remember, they’re volunteers who leave their jobs for emergencies, not socials.  The only thing you’ll learn from a phone call is that you need more information.  It would be disappointing to learn that business and industry leaders would base their opinions and decisions after talking to just one person.  After all, these are organizations comprised of members.

This year, as a community business leader, make it a point to learn about your local volunteer fire company before you write your check.