LONG POND, Pa. — When it comes to fighting a fire, every second is crucial. Fewer first responders can mean more time putting it out.
It's National Volunteer Month – but a fire department in Monroe County says it's been trying to get more volunteers for years.
From digging into fires to digging through records, the members of the Tunkhannock Township Volunteer Fire Company each wear many hats.
"I'm president, I'm the assistant engineer here, I'm also a volunteer firefighter," Joe Weitz said.
"I'm the engineer officer and the vice president," fellow volunteer firefighter John Buz said.
These titles don't even include their day jobs, families, and other activities.
Weitz recalls a 2019 fire in Emerald Lakes where just three adult volunteers and two junior volunteers showed up.
"It ended up being two officers, myself and two juniors," he said.
Those two juniors were Weitz's own daughters – 15 and 16 at the time. Weitz says help from other departments eventually came with the water they needed.
"So, while we were able to extinguish the fire. Myself and the officer were the only two interior people at that time, and the juniors were running around organizing hose, bringing us tools," he said.
"But that was a lack of manpower. We were able to do the job, but it was just barely."
The rescuers say though there are 30 volunteers in the department, usually, fewer than ten show up at any given fire.
"Any time the pager goes off, whatever type of call, it's always in the back of your mind. Do we have enough people?" Lt. Bryan Young, volunteer firefighter, and secretary, said.
This one local fire department just paints the picture of a larger statewide issue.
According to the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, the number of volunteers across the state went down from 300,000 in the 1970s to 38,000 as of 2018.
The U.S. Fire Administration says nearly 97 percent of fire departments in Pennsylvania are volunteers.
"The numbers are down everywhere," Fire Chief Byron Witt said. "I have friends throughout the county, and throughout the state, it's a real need. It's a problem, and in the future, it's really going to be rough for fire companies in general."
That's why Tunkhannock Township firefighters are calling for more help.
"I truly enjoy what I do, serving the community, helping strangers out," Buz said.
"You feel that camaraderie of the firehouse and outside of it," Young added.
The volunteers say you don't just have to be on the front line fighting fires to be a member.
"You can help with support committee, you can help with fundraisers," Weitz said. "There's a place for anyone and everyone at a firehouse."
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