On Saturday, Sept. 16, representatives of Whitefield Fire & Rescue will be looking to recruit new members at Sheepscot General, located at 98 Town House Road in Whitefield, from 12:30-3 p.m.
There are so many ways to make a difference in one’s community. Joining Whitefield Fire & Rescue is one of those opportunities in which one can make a positive impact. On Saturday, Sept. 16, representatives of Whitefield Fire & Rescue will be looking to recruit new members at Sheepscot General located at 98 Townhouse Road in Whitefield, from 12:30-3 p.m.
Reports have shown that Maine’s volunteer fire departments increasingly are having a hard time finding enough people to fill their ranks, putting them in danger of being unable to respond quickly to calls. This is a problem for ambulance and emergency medical services as well, the Bangor Daily News reported in 2015. Whitefield Fire & Rescue has maintained staffing levels in recent years, but is always looking for more volunteers.
Whitefield is hoping to stay ahead of the curve by meeting with the public twice during the month of September. An open house is also planned at Whitefield’s Kings Mills Fire Station on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 3-5 p.m. The association will be providing free drinks and hot dogs to the members of the public who attend this 24th open house.
According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, there were nearly 900,000 volunteer firefighters nationwide in 1984. Although they are called volunteers, most firefighters, as in Whitefield, receive a small stipend. By 2013, the national number of volunteer firefighters had dropped to just over 786,000.
The average age of volunteer firefighters is increasing, especially for the smallest communities, where more than 30 percent of firefighters are over age 50. In 1987, only 16 percent of volunteer firefighters in communities with fewer than 2,500 residents were over 50, according to reports.
Volunteer firefighters are often available on a part-time basis only, so it may take more volunteers from other towns to ensure an adequate response to each alarm.
“We are always looking for volunteers,” Whitefield Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Higgins said. “It would be good to have some new faces who are available not only during the evening hours, but during the day when some of our crew is working out of town.”
And it takes all types of men and women to serve. There are countless duties on the fire ground. Whether it’s simply directing traffic or performing an intense interior attack in a burning structure, there are no unimportant roles.
Find out how to make a difference by stopping by Sheepscot General on Sept. 16 or Kings Mills Fire Station on Sept. 24. For further information, contact Kings Mills Fire Association President Jeffrey Newell at 624-2268 or Higgins at 549-7945.
