guidelines should be followed. In conjunction with Fire Prevention

guidelines should be followed.

In conjunction with Fire Prevention Week, several of the county’s departments are holding their annual fund drives, and others are preparing similar campaigns. We urge all residents to give generously when the volunteers call on you. They are your neighbors, who give their time to protect the lives and property of all the county’s residents.

It is a costly proposition to equip and maintain a fire department. To outfit one firefighter costs more than $1000 (coat, $300; pants, $250; boots, $90; helmet, $95; gloves, $20; pager, $300). The average cost of a fire truck is $120,000; an ambulance costs at least $50,000 (or more for advanced life support equipment); one set of breathing apparatus costs $1200; and 50 feet tone length) of fire hose runs between $70 and $110.

The state does not provide any funding to the county’s fire and rescue departments. The county’s contribution last year was $6200, which went to pay the Association’s liability insurance premium. Other than that, the departments are on their own. They rely on the various fundraising activitives throughout the year to keep going. Much of the time it is touch and go. They defray the cost of new equipment by getting by with surplus or cast-offs from other departments.

The companies rely on their neighbors to support them. Your donation does not have to be large — every little bit helps. But please, give what you can. The volunteers will not check the books to see if you have contributed before trying to save your life or property. But the donations they receive will enable them to better serve ALL the residents of the county. The better trained and equipped the firefighters are, the better able they will be to deal with the situations they encounter.

The county’s volunteers need your help. Please respond — it’s your turn.