Volunteer Ranks Shrinking

[bcfire]

I was just reading an article on a US Firefighter website that really put our Volunteer Fire Service into perspective for me. It said that the state of Pennsylvania has dropped from 300,000 volunteer firefighters down to 70,000 from 1976 to 1995. This is a mind-boggling drop but is the trend here in Canada as well. The fear of contracting communicable diseases, terrorism, and busier lifestyles have all contributed to the decline in the number of people who volunteer their valuable time to their communities.
There was a ray of hope in the form of bill C-325 to allow emergency service workers a $3,000 personal income tax deduction. This would have helped attract new recruits into the Volunteer Fire Service. I look around at my own department and yes, we are getting a bit long in the tooth. We have the best equipment, a good and regular training schedule,community support, but not enough younger people wishing to sign up.
The tax deduction was defeated by a margin of 3 votes in the House of Commons. I wonder what is going to happen when the the bumper sticker that reads " WHAT IF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS DIDN'T VOLUNTEER" becomes reality. How much will it cost then? Take care, BCFIRE

[Whitewater_419]

A couple of thoughts on this one:

Personally, I'd *love* to see a tax deduction for being a volunteer (or professional!) Firefighter, or any other emergency response worker who's life is on the line. The problem I can see with that, and maybe this is what the politicians thought who voted against the idea, is that while our ranks would indeed swell, I can imagine there would be a significant number of new FF's who where there solely for the tax cut.

While our department gets paid for our calls and a small honorarium annually, I'd still show up every Wednesday and to every call that I can even if we weren't being paid a dime.

I think it *would* be a good idea for some form of governmental recognition for volunteer firefighters - be that a small tax break, property tax break, or even some form of subsidized education/whatever. I think the shame of it would be that it would have to be big enough to not be insulting, but small enough not to attract those who would join out of greed alone.

-Marc

[bcfire]

Marc, a $3,000 deduction on your personal income tax return is as you have asked for "a small tax break". The money involved is your own. It just means that you get to keep about $1,000 of your own money to cover the cost of being a Volunteer. Correct me if I am wrong but when we respond to calls, we pay for our own fuel and vehicle upkeep. If you ruin your clothes with smoke,
they don't get replaced by anyone else but you. Volunteer Departments buy all kinds of incidentals like coloring books,stickers and sponsor activity for kids. Yes, we raise money to try to do these things but a small bit of recognition for our efforts on the part of Politicians would go a long way. I carry an extensive medical (bp, airways, burn med etc.) kit in the trunk of my car along with a fire axe. I bought this stuff on my own and will continue to carry this with, or without the Volunteer bill. I have responded to medical calls in my fire district and have arrived ahead of our guys on numerous occasions. I use whatever is necessary at the time, and replace it at my own expense.
It really is no different than a business man who gets to write off all kinds of expenses for incometax purposes. It just simply is
time that the Volunteer Fire Services got the same break.
d that you are "paid on call", I hope you are claiming the existing $1000 tax deduction available to you.
There are thousands of Volunteers who receive nothing for their efforts. These are the services that need help in recruiting new people. Anyone joining up simply for the tax break would probably be easily recognizable. If not at first, it would definately be revealed when the "shit hit the fan".

[bcfire]

Excuse me, but I need more space. Most of the Volunteers in my province (99%) receive nothing for their personal commitment/expenses/ training time/ except for the satisfaction of serving their communities in a way that has no equal. None of us will leave the fire service because there is no tax break, but every incentive to attract new blood is positive. My intention was to emphasize a growing trend within the Volunteer Fire Service in Canada as well as the USA. This bill will eventually succeed, but not without the support of Canada's Volunteers.
Take care BCFIRE

[Whitewater_419]

Hey BCFire;

Hey, don't get me wrong :) I'd love to see the tax break - I also firmly believe that the vast, vast majority of volunteers are on their respective forces in Canada for the right reasons. You're also absolutely right in that we pay our own expenses in terms of personal vehicles (upkeep, gas, insurance, etc), not to mention many, many of us purchase additional gear out of our own pockets with no compensation from our halls or our towns (and I think that most of us don't expect it, either - it's in the whole volunteer mindset).

Come to think of it, here's an idea that may have changed some of those politicians minds during the vote if they had thought of it:

Give all volunteer firefighters a $3000 excemption on their personal income taxes after the second anniversary of their joining the force; That would avoid attracting any layabouts who would only want the "easy" tax credit, as well as having them give a solid two years of service in the volunteer ethos.

I wonder if this bill could be brought back up on a federal level again ?

[bfrd22]

My understanding of the bill was that you had to have X number of hours in to qualify for the $3000 if not you only were able to claim for the $1000.00 eligible now. This had to be back with a statement from your Governing board that you had the hours in to qualify. I thought is was around the 250 hour mark.

[firefighter9calt]

My self it doesn't matter whether I got a tax Break or not I still going to Volunteer. It would be great if the volunteer service did get some kind of break either on income tax or even some kind of rebate on the GST that we pay to replace our ruined clothes and the fuel we pay for ourselves. But I think there has to be a stipulation on how you get this break and it has to be enforced. It's time the Federal Government followed the lead of at least some of the Provinces( the ones who give their volunteer free vehicle registration ). At least the Provinces are showing some gratitude towards the volunteer's who are saving them millions of dollars a year if they had to pay for this service.

[bfrd22]

Problem is as stated to many people just don't have the time. We loose a lot of recruts in the 1st 4 months as they find out they don't have the time to put in. And can't meet our attendance requirments. We don't really have a lack of applications, just by the time we finish the interview and selection process a lot of people get weeded out.

Others find out the amount of responsiblity and the spot light they come under as a member and don't like it.

We have to look at the demands placed on Depts today also, When I signed up 15 years ago, We only did fire calls, Now your expected to do fire supprestion, MVA's, Rescues, Hazmat, 1st responder Medical, Inspections. Preplanning, Hydrant Rating, and School programs,

We are finding that there is not enough time to teach or learn everything we have to know in a small town. We get complaints from our members all the time cause there is 2 much information being passed to absorb it all.

Members become overwhelmed by the training and knowlege needs and leave.

Also the Oil patch is a major employer out here and we honestly can't and won't bring on someone working in the patch cause they are rarely around and thier schedules are so fly by the pants that we can't count on em.

Selection of members: It's expensive to gear, outfit and train a member. I find that we are way more selective about who gets on the Dept than in the past.
If your asperations are to be a full time firefighter, Generally we won't bring you on... Why? Cause It costs us Thousands to Train some one just to have them leave with all that training for someone elses benefit.. Sorry We trained a lot of good people in the past to lose them to other depts after a year or 2. If it happens it happens, but we don't want to be a source of free training.

Personally I would rather Run with 10 members that I know are going to show 90% of the time. Than 20 members that might be around.

[WFD999]

BCFD22 A couple of points to ponder when you atoumatically turn down poor oilfield trash. I have five members on my department that work in the patch. Those five guys show as much or more dedication to the service then some that hold 8-5 jobs. They attend trianing when in town respond to calls at one in the morning after getting in at midnight work a incident till 6. Go home shower and go to work for 7. Our service has a hard enough time getting voluteers. I know that the trianing cycle takes four times as long but we have to modify the way we do things now in our modern busy world that voluteerism in going down in. I am the trianing officer and a platoon captian on my department with 16 years in. With my phone laptop and a strong officer group we get the job done its not always easy. Just as we do on the fire ground adapt and overcome each new situation as it arises. We dont turn down anyone who comes to us with the right attitude. I know I sound a little strong about this but Im oilfield trash too.

[bfrd22]

Don't get me wrong here...And I never reffered to anyone in the patch as "trash". We have several members on now that work the Patch. And they are very dedicated to the Dept. One of em is a Luet. on the dept.

I should have been more specific in that It's not an auto decline. We have one member on recently hired that works a Service Field an hour out an it's a long term contract. He's home every night and on weekends.

The concern is bringing on people you can count on. not just warm bodies. A person (any field) that is prone to being out of the area on longer terms and with 3 hour call out notices makes it hard for us to rely on, regardless of how dedicated they may be, I they can only make 1 out of 6 Training nights and only make 25 % of the calls, Its hard justify spending this kind of money on someone. Once you pass you probationary exams and training, We heve 4 month invested. then $!500 worth of gear. Uniform, Duty Shirts, Coveralls, Radio, Pager, Warning light etc etc. it gets expensive, plus now they are on our payroll.

We are a paid per call Dept. and as such we are only allow a certain size roster, We can't run an open roster and as such I guess maybe we are more selective than most.

And your right "A strong officer group" As a Captain I agree. unfortunatly this "strong" Group also wears thin, I can't tell you how many calls I been to where officers are the main work force cause we could get enough FF's able to roll on the call, ( 6 members are ranking officers)

WFD999 Again I aplogize if I offended you, It was not my intention.

[WFD999]

Hey bfrd22 No offense trash is a generic term we us. I guess its the differnce in the structures of our departments. Our department is a small to dept in a bedroom community. And its tough getting people to come out and volunteer not only for us with FD but lions ag society communitys in bloom and so on. We saw our ranks slowy shrink over the years. So we became proactive in our recriutment and loosening up a little bit. As town became more of a bedroom during the day town empty's out more and more. The guys working the patch and shift work are in town during the days when there off. Saved our butts a couple of times. When we first started trying to trian shift workers etc it was quite a rodeo at times. Now we got it down to a program. Thats working real well. Just like we are all responible for safety trianing is going the same way. I will do things like taking a fairly green firefighter that just taken a S300 course from Fire Etc. and have him do a refresher on knots for us all. One that shows the FF he\she is respected and wanted and it never hurts us old dogs to practice some basic skills. Its just being small with people in differnt fields of employement has forced us to think outside the box while maintianing the same quaility service to the community. Sorry If I sounded like pissed off. That was not my intention. Hell I couldnt even type your handle in right the last time. Have a great one.