Rappahannock Fire and Rescue Association for training materials. The

Rappahannock Fire and Rescue Association for training materials. The county, however, provides no monetary support directly to the companies to defray operating expenses.

In addition, WVFD’s Ladies Auxiliary raises approximately $2,000 annually from thrift shop sales but the fluids haven’t been donated to the fire department for several years because the ladies are saving to pay for a kitchen at the new fire hall.

Adding everything together, Washington ended up in the hole last year with about $9,000 in cash to pay bills totalling over $10,000.

The picture may not be as bad for the county’s other fire companies but all need increased financial support. The same inflation that has pinched family budgets and made it harder to find the few extra dollars to donate has sent the fire company’s costs soaring.

Along with money, the companies need more volunteers. In Washington, six to eight people run most of the calls, raise most of the money and tackle most of the maintenance projects. Only a handful of names on membership rolls are doers. The rest may have good intentions but intentions peter out in face of demands on time.

The firemen themselves can help with the plight of the county’s fire departments. Apparently, we need seven companies because Rappahannock’s population is so scattered and, according to firemen, home insurance rates are based in part on the miles to fre house. Because of distances involved, the companies can’t combine to pool manpower and cut costs.

But they can cooperate on equipment and planning and take advantage of the State Fire Commission’s study to find ways to improve coverage. Unfortunately, each company jealously guards its autonomy and many firemen find mutual cooperation synonmous with letting someone else run the whole show.

If the county’s fire departments are to survive, firemen must implement the kind of sharing Flint Hill and Washington have reached. Flint Hill has a brush truck but no tanker. Washington has a tanker but no brush truck. Instead of struggling to raise the money for extra equipment which is needed only a few times a year, the two companies run calls together, complementing each other.

But more important than internal cooperation, the fire companies need cooperation from the citizens they serve. There are only three options open—we must support our volunteer fire fighters and rescue personnel with voluntary contributions or we must support them with tax dollars. The final option is to do away with fire and rescue service.

It’s up to us to decide. And the decision can’t be put off. If we wait too long before digging down into our pockets for donations bankruptcy may take the decision out of our hands.