There are fundamental differences in the nature of the rural fire problem compared to the U.S. fire problem as a whole. Additionally, the volunteer rural fire service has unique challenges not faced by their counterparts, such as large minimally populated areas to provide protection and service, often no guarantee of staffing levels, water supply challenges, lack of population to provide a revenue or tax base to support service, etc.
What are the major the challenges you as a rural volunteer fire department are facing?
- Funding?
- Retention of your current volunteer firefighters and support staff?
- Recruitment of new members for both active firefighting and support?
- Training?
- Fire prevention and public education?
And have you developed any innovative ways on how you have overcome them?
To support you, USFA has developed a dedicated web page on Rural and Volunteer Fire Department Resources: www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/rural/index.shtmThis page focuses on the numerous resources developed to deal with the unique fire challenges faced by fire departments operating in rural communities. It provides statistics and fire reports dealing with rural fires; public fire education and prevention programs targeted at the rural fire problem and community; critical firefighter health and safety issues impacting rural and volunteer firefighters; and National Fire Academy training opportunities focusing on the rural and volunteer fire service that include a wildland firefighting skills crosswalk for structural firefighters.
In addition, USFA is currently working with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) on a revision to the Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services that will provide the most up to date information in this area. Look for this document in the near future.
Other resources include the NVFC, http://www.nvfc.org/, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS), www.vcos.org/.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment