Volunteer Fire Departments across KMAland and the nation are struggling with providing adequate staffing.
That's according to Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce, who says his department in Red Oak has been luckier than others potentially in the area due to the department providing both firefighters and EMS services. However, according to a National Fire Protection Association report in 2019, including numbers from responding departments across the country, a nearly 100,000-drop was seen in volunteers from 2000 to 2017. Bruce says it likely is a combination of factors contributing to the steady decline of volunteer firefighters.
"There's a lot of hours that goes into getting your initial fire training, and your monthly meetings with whatever department your on, and then of course you throw call volume in there," Bruce said.