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That was then ...
Now things are different for volunteer fire companies. When Cannon and Woodward started out at Castleton, they were prepared with some basic first aid training and little else.
"Mainly we winged it,” said Woodward. Now in order to be legally allowed to ride out in an ambulance on a rescue call, rescue personnel need to have completed long training courses, and spend so many hours assisting on other rescue calls. Some of these requirements are over a hundred hours, and every few years workers must be recertified. While most people would rather be helped by extensively trained EMTs than well meaning men just doing th6ir best, the heavy requirements have put a dent in volunteer rescue companies everywhere. Unquestionably, the training and safety requirements save fives, but they also make it harder for smaller organizations like Castleton to operate.
“It’s hard to go through all that training and work a full . time job,” said current Chief Mike Kearns. “Especially when other counties pay people to do the same job,” he added, speaking of Fairfax and Culpeper, nearby areas where EMlfe are professionals. The time requirements to be certified make it hard for younger people who need their time to work to participate in rescue companies, and are a turn off for retirees who may not be willing to spend so much time training. Woodward says that things
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