In response to that funding, the group officially launched its volunteer firefighter recruitment effort, “Step up, Gear Up, and Volunteer” Campaign, during a late Wednesday afternoon press conference on HACC’s campus. The organization’s vision is to ensure that communities can be served by strong volunteer fire companies.
The grant was signed off in September through the Federal Emergency management Agency ( FEMA).
During the event, almost all of the speakers emphasized that the 21 volunteer fire companies within the region are experiencing a difficult time with recruiting and attaining the next generation of firefighters to serve communities.
The commonwealth has gone through a dramatic decline from 300,000 volunteer firefighters in the 1970s to fewer than 38,000 today, according to Nate Silcox, chair of CapCOG Advisory Committee and president of Hampden Township Board of Commissioners.
“Hampden Township responds to nearly 900 calls a year, the second most in Cumberland County,” Silcox said. Despite the township paying for firefighters training and gear and the fire company not having to fundraise, we still struggle to attract new members and more importantly, we have a number of experienced firefighters that could retire at any moment.”
Along with offering volunteer firefighter opportunities, the “Step Up, Gear Up, and Volunteer” campaign will also aim to spread awareness to resident by airing commercials throughout the region, building a strong presence on social media, presenting exhibits at community events, providing junior firefighter positions through outreach to community schools and issuing recruitment retention training for fire department leadership.
Kenneth Martin, treasurer of CapCOG and president of Upper Allen Township Board of Commissioners, said the grant is allowing the organization to be proactive as the need for public safety increases.
“There are some companies where volunteerism is decreasing. So in order to meet the problem early instead of waiting until it’s a crisis we went after this federal grant,” Martin said. “I think it’s really going to help inform people what the fire company does, how important this service is, and how they can be involved.”
Jerry Ozog, executive director of Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, said the grant is coordinated at no cost to local taxpayers.
“It’s an extremely important program and it’s important to know that this four-year program will be offered at no costs to our local taxpayers because this is a federal grant,” he said.
Kyle Dolbin, 18, joined as a junior firefighter when he was 14 years old. Dolbin said he’s excited and about the grant and hopes that the new campaign will lead to more firefighters.
“We are low-staffed. Not every time that a fire call comes is there’s a fire truck heading out the door,” Dolbin said. “I mean it’s rare, but it happens and that shouldn’t be happening. So I’m hoping that we can get more volunteers so firetrucks are getting out the doors with qualified members in a timely fashion because people need us.”
Toward the end of the event, residents had the opportunity to get access to the fire department training building. Also, the firefighters performed a 20-minute procedure called “run and drill,” a procedure that’s used when first responders arrive at house fires.
Potential volunteers can register and be connected to their local fire department through Capital Region Firefighter.
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