PROJECT: "STEP UP"
McCandless Fire Marshal--and Highland Firefighter--Dan Stack agrees that creating a new generation of Fire Service
Volunteers is, indeed, a difficult proposition; yet it is not insurmountable.
The ladder is a tall one, but every rung is a Step Up.
The number of fire alarms in
McCandless has, as shown in the table above, increased over the past
several years; however, the number of new volunteers has decreased.
So, Project: STEP UP was created.
"Progress has been made," according to Stack, "a number of people
have 'stepped up' to assist the Volunteer Fire Corps in any way they could.
"Currently, we have about 30 active firefighters within the three
companies that serve the Town of McCandless, including the Highland, Peebles,
and Ingomar Departments. But we could use the services of about 60 more
individuals."
Contrary to popular belief, the firefighting staffs
at these fire stations are not compensated for their service, and the stations
face a major dilemma: volunteers are in short supply. Fire Marshall Stack
joins the departments in urging volunteers--both firefighters and
non-firefighters--to step up and create a new generation of Fire Service
Volunteers.
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22 |
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14 |
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12 |
12 |
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| 0-5 |
6-10 |
11-15 |
15+ |
| Years
of Firefighting Service |
Our crews aren't getting any younger.
Age and experience bring wisdom, but it takes a certain amount of youth to
perform the rigors of firefighting.
Persons wishing to volunteer for responding to
emergency calls will undergo 88 hours of formal training at the Allegheny County
Fire Training Academy in North Park, and to be present at their fire halls for
training two hours each week. Of course, volunteers are required to
respond to emergency calls around the clock.
Non-firefighting volunteers are needed as well. Currently McCandless has
about 20 administrative volunteers who take care of typing, filing, financial
balancing, cleaning and maintaining properties, and organizing events such as
fund drives.
If you're not a McCandless resident, it's a safe bet that
your local volunteer fire company needs help as much as we do. Call your
department today; if you don't know their number, click here
and we will put you in touch with them.
The departments also need legal,
printing, and equipment repair services. We can use babysitters so our
volunteers who have children can train and respond.
Anything you can do,
we need. We need your ideas. We need you. Volunteer today--and
Step Up.
