How Can I Help My Local Fire Department
First. The obvious thing you can do to help your volunteer fire department is to make a donation. But remember, a donation isn't limited to dollars. If you own a business, maybe you can donate something to save the department from making a purchase. A lot of hardware, vehicle parts and maintenance, fuel, food and water, medical supplies, electronics, office equipment and training materials are used in your fire department. All of these materials cost a great deal of money to obtain or maintain. These are not items that can be neglected because your life and the firefighter's lives may depend on all of it operating at peak performance. (The department is 501c4 and can document your donation).
The problem is your volunteer fire department does not have enough money in its budget to fully maintain all of the equipment. Funding from the area we serve does not cover everything required, so we rely on donations and fund raisers to get the money we need. Without your donations, your volunteer fire department may have to reduce on-call equipment, close its doors, or become a paid department. Any of these situations would end up costing you more money than a simple annual donation. Without a fire department operating at the current level of the Scott Volunteer Fire Department, your homeowner's insurance rates will go up. And with a paid department your property taxes will significantly increase. (Click here to Learn how much does one firefighter cost)
Second. If you're interested in doing even more, another option is becoming a member. One of the biggest problems facing volunteer fire departments nationwide is dwindling manpower. Members retire, move away, or just can no longer volunteer and no one steps up to fill their empty position. This means a greater risk to the communities that the department serves. Fewer members mean of longer response times and the need for mutual aid companies to come in from other areas to assist (sometimes from miles away). It also means a greater risk to your firefighters because they now have fewer people to do the many tasks involved in fighting a fire. Contact the Scott Volunteer Fire Department and ask how you can become a volunteer. Even though there is not a paycheck associated with the work, the volunteers agree that helping your friends and neighbors is a greater reward.
Result. Well, there you have it, two simple ways to help your volunteer fire department. The choice is yours, but we strongly urge you to do one or the other, or both if you want. People who need help call the department on average about twice a day. Without your help, the volunteers cannot be ready to help you.
The problem is your volunteer fire department does not have enough money in its budget to fully maintain all of the equipment. Funding from the area we serve does not cover everything required, so we rely on donations and fund raisers to get the money we need. Without your donations, your volunteer fire department may have to reduce on-call equipment, close its doors, or become a paid department. Any of these situations would end up costing you more money than a simple annual donation. Without a fire department operating at the current level of the Scott Volunteer Fire Department, your homeowner's insurance rates will go up. And with a paid department your property taxes will significantly increase. (Click here to Learn how much does one firefighter cost)
Second. If you're interested in doing even more, another option is becoming a member. One of the biggest problems facing volunteer fire departments nationwide is dwindling manpower. Members retire, move away, or just can no longer volunteer and no one steps up to fill their empty position. This means a greater risk to the communities that the department serves. Fewer members mean of longer response times and the need for mutual aid companies to come in from other areas to assist (sometimes from miles away). It also means a greater risk to your firefighters because they now have fewer people to do the many tasks involved in fighting a fire. Contact the Scott Volunteer Fire Department and ask how you can become a volunteer. Even though there is not a paycheck associated with the work, the volunteers agree that helping your friends and neighbors is a greater reward.
Result. Well, there you have it, two simple ways to help your volunteer fire department. The choice is yours, but we strongly urge you to do one or the other, or both if you want. People who need help call the department on average about twice a day. Without your help, the volunteers cannot be ready to help you.
