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A job well done
National Fire Prevention Week offers the ideal opportunity for us, as a community, to recognize the outstanding contributions of our volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel.
The Rappahannock News gives a heartfelt “thank you” to the fire companies and rescue squads of the county for their selflessness, dedication, commitment, and hard-earned expertise.
Understaffed, underfinanced, and unpaid, these extraordinary individuals devote hundreds of hours of their personal time each year to the protection and care of our families. Their efforts often go unnoticed and unrewarded, except for the deep personal satisfaction that comes with a job well done.
Solving the arson case at Stuart’s Field early last month would have been much more difficult without the quick-thinking arid excellent arson detection training of the Amissville Volunteer Fire Department. The speed with which the company extinguished the fires preserved valuable evidence.
Then, identifying arson as the cause, they ensured that the crime scene would not be unnecessarily disturbed. Many of those fighting the fire that night continued serving their community on duty the next day.
The toll is wearing and the number of volunteers is dwindling. Our county’s fire protection and emergency rescue programs depend exclusively on volunteers who do their own fundraising, provide safety and emergency training programs, and handle all the administrative aspects of running a nonprofit business. All this in addition to fighting fires and saving lives.
We are asking so much from so few. It is time for the Board of Supervisors and each of us to seriously consider some alternatives.
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