This is a nationwide problem. It takes a lot of training hours to be knowledgeable and safe. The training is mandated for a good reason. When there are family obligations, and some volunteers working more than one job- finding time for formal training is a problem. My family members have two trainings – fire and EMS and a business meeting each month and have missed a lot of suppers and ball games. That’s not even mentioning the scary stuff that is dealt with regularly. It isn’t for everyone. From our rural area it is 50 miles to the community college for formal training. I’m afraid it will take tax dollars and paid responders to meet the needs in the communities.
For these volunteer guys that don’t get paid, and are doing as a 2nd “job”, I think they should get to EXEMPT income up to whatever the state average for the paid fireman make. So if the average FF makes $60K, then that volunteer should get a free ride on his 1st $60K of AGI from his “day job” on his FIT.
That may not be enough, but it should be a place to start.
As a retired Vol. fire chief one of the biggest problem is the hours their but in between drill nights then going for training on weekends then they are required to do fund raisers. No fire fighter should be doing fund raisers that should be done by the auxiliaries that is one of the problems, the auxiliaries # have declined also and that is forcing a lot of fire company’s to force their fire fighter to do fund raiser. STOP DONT DO IT the community NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED and if they don’t then the local townships or city’s needs to fund them. A fire fighter can not do all that and spend time with family and go to work they sacrifice to much for they community. there communities need to give BACK
This is a nationwide problem. It takes a lot of training hours to be knowledgeable and safe. The training is mandated for a good reason. When there are family obligations, and some volunteers working more than one job- finding time for formal training is a problem. My family members have two trainings – fire and EMS and a business meeting each month and have missed a lot of suppers and ball games. That’s not even mentioning the scary stuff that is dealt with regularly. It isn’t for everyone. From our rural area it is 50 miles to the community college for formal training. I’m afraid it will take tax dollars and paid responders to meet the needs in the communities.
For these volunteer guys that don’t get paid, and are doing as a 2nd “job”, I think they should get to EXEMPT income up to whatever the state average for the paid fireman make. So if the average FF makes $60K, then that volunteer should get a free ride on his 1st $60K of AGI from his “day job” on his FIT.
That may not be enough, but it should be a place to start.
As a retired Vol. fire chief one of the biggest problem is the hours their but in between drill nights then going for training on weekends then they are required to do fund raisers. No fire fighter should be doing fund raisers that should be done by the auxiliaries that is one of the problems, the auxiliaries # have declined also and that is forcing a lot of fire company’s to force their fire fighter to do fund raiser. STOP DONT DO IT the community NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED and if they don’t then the local townships or city’s needs to fund them. A fire fighter can not do all that and spend time with family and go to work they sacrifice to much for they community. there communities need to give BACK