The move is part of a series of adjustments the state is making to recruit more firefighters and emergency medical technicians to the service.
“While there are some volunteer fire departments that are doing well in many respects, Ohio has other departments that are not doing well at all. Many are financially challenged in multiple areas. Coupled with recruitment and retention difficulties and cumbersome training requirements, Ohio has created an environment where long term survivability of many volunteer fire departments is a major concern,” Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said.
Most volunteers must pay for their own training and their own equipment, according to the state’s report. The typical cost for training can range from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000, while equipment costs can reach as much as $4,000. Additionally, most volunteers must take time away from their actual jobs to complete training, which is problematic for both employers and the volunteer fire service.
Most of them don’t get paid anything, but some operate on a “pay-per-run” or a stipend for working certain hours, said Cedarville Twp. Fire Chief Kyle Miller.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
The state reported a 6.5% decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters between 2018 and 2021.
The Cedarville Twp. Volunteer Fire Department in Greene County is one such agency that’s been feeling the decline in volunteers. Many of its current 31 members are Cedarville University students, and others are alumni.
“This whole area is blessed that we have great support from our communities,” Miller said. “Of course, all of us could use more money to do the jobs that we do, but you know, we’re not scraping by with spaghetti dinners and bake sales.”
The departments that are likely going to see the biggest benefit, Miller said, are volunteer departments in rural areas, particularly those in southeastern Ohio who rely on volunteer services.
“This is going to be huge for them, to be able to send their people to classes and not have the expense of the tuition,” he said.
The biggest factor in talking to applicants, Miller said, is the time commitment. A volunteer firefighter certification is a 36-hour training, which teaches prospective firefighters the basics of using gear and equipment. However, a Firefighter I or Firefighter II certification involves 120 hours of training for each level.
“By the time parents come home from work, they’re with their kids,” he said. “You’re trying to get dinner, doing homework, it’s time for bed, and you got to get your sleep so you can go to work the next day. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for trying to provide that volunteer service for your community, as much as they might want to.”
Prospective firefighters should contact their local volunteer fire department or visit makemeafirefighter.org to take advantage of the free training. Those interested in joining the fire service can search for fire department opportunities near their homes.
Other recommendations from the task force that were implemented into the legislative budget last month include hiring a full-time volunteer coordinator within the Division of State Fire Marshal, developing a series of volunteer firefighter recruitment PSAs, increasing grant dollars for training and equipment, and broadening eligibility for “Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements” grants which supply emergency response “turnout” gear for volunteer fire departments, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Other task force recommendations, released in January, include allowing state employees 16 hours of paid leave per month for volunteer fire department emergency calls and training, exploring hybrid options for certain types of training, tuition vouchers, and launching a volunteer cadet program, among others.
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