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Those who serve
The recent rash of accidents in Rappahannock County in the past week should have brought the efforts of a dedicated group of the county’s citizens into the spotlight.
Too often, however, the volunteer fire fighters and rescue squad members who serve without pay, giving their own time to protect the lives and property of their neighbors, go unnoticed except in cases where someone finds fault — deserved or not — with their actions or procedures.
Some of those volunteers responded to all three accidents: 3 a.m. Saturday morning, noon Monday, and again about 2 p.m. Monday. They don’t go to the scene of automobile accidents, or fires, or illness because they get any pleasure from their often grisly jobs.
They go because they feel a sense of responsibility toward their neighbors — to offer their assistance to people in trouble.
Two people died at the scene of the accident on Rt. 211 Monday afternoon. Two more may very well live because the first volunteers on the scene -— even before any equipment arrived — had the training to recognize that specialized assistance was needed and put in a call for Pegasus, the University of Virginia’s medical evacuation helicopter.
These volunteers give their own time: 120 hours of training are required just to be allowed aboard a rescue squad vehicle, and fire fighters put in a comparable amount of training. They also work with equipment often literally scavenged from the throwaway pile of the departments in more affluent communities. Hoses, air packs, running gear— much is second hand and sometimes not a perfect fit.
Like the equipment they work with, the volunteers are not perfect. They are not performing for the movies. There’s no director to yell “cut,” no doubles to step blithely from the twisted wreckage. They work in real-life, emotionally wrenching situations. They do their best.
These dedicated people who also happen to be our neighbors deserve our thanks and support. They deserve our donations when their fundraisers call or stop by.
No one should have a moment’s hesitation. When the tones sound on a Saturday morning at 3 a.m., the volunteers don’t hesitate. ..r
Letters to the editor
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