CULLMAN COUNTY, Ala. – Local volunteer fire departments are actively recruiting volunteers.
Johnson’s Crossing Volunteer Fire Department recently shared the need for men and women to work with its department.
Johnson’s Crossing Chief Mark Reeves asked the community, through the department’s Facebook page, to support their local departments.
“We need willing men and women to join our department,” Reeves said. “With this we also want the new recruits to go to a certified Volunteer 160 class within two years of joining, be willing to consider going to Emergency Medical Technician Training and become licensed or a Licensed Emergency Medical Responder course.”
To be a volunteer you must be 18 years old, possess a valid driver’s license, have at least liability insurance on reliable transportation and attend monthly meetings and training sessions. Applicants must be able to pass a background check and a drug screen. The departments train volunteers at no cost to the volunteers.
Jones Chapel Volunteer Fire Department Chief Clint Thrasher said it’s important to constantly recruit in the volunteer fire departments because they always need more help.
“People move away; people realize they don’t have time to help anymore and unfortunately sometimes people get to the point that physically they can’t help anymore,” Thrasher said. “It’s important for people to realize that you don’t have to be an interior firefighter to be a member. We also need medical responders, apparatus operators and support personnel. Support personnel can hand out water, direct traffic and perform other important tasks.”
Thrasher said most areas only have volunteer fire departments to provide fire protection and emergency medical care prior to the arrival of an ambulance.
“Early emergency care often changes the outcome for the patient during medical emergencies,” Thrasher said. “The same goes for fire protection; if we don’t have volunteers to respond, citizens would have to wait for volunteers from further away to respond to their fires, wrecks and other emergencies.”
For more information or to get involved, contact any of the volunteers at Johnson’s Crossing or Chief Mark Reeves at 256-339-0485.
You can also contact Clint Thrasher at 256-747-3654 or message on the Jones Chapel Fire Departent’s Facebook page.
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