Botetourt Fire & Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is currently looking for volunteers. “Strength in numbers” is a term often used when speaking of positive productivity and effectiveness in any organization/business/team. Botetourt’s six emergency departments are a great example.
Over the last decade, the nation has faced a decline in volunteerism for fire and emergency services. Volunteers make up most of the personnel for fire services, while emergency medical services have increased the number of career personnel.
Botetourt follows a similar trend. According to Botetourt Fire & EMS Chief Jason Ferguson, the current combination model uses career-staffed ambulances in five locations with cross-trained personnel to handle EMS and fire. A staff comprised entirely of volunteer firefighters operates in six stations with only one career-staffed fire engine on duty 24/7.
“The root of the challenge remains the amount of time that someone must commit to being in this profession,” Ferguson stated in a recent interview. “That not only includes emergency response but there is a lot of time that goes into training. Being an ‘all hazards’ type organization, we are the Swiss Army Knife of professions.
“We have to have folks that are not only trained in the basic fire and EMS skills, but also hazardous materials, vehicle extrication, rope rescue, water rescue, and the list goes on. It would appear that most people that do have time to volunteer do what they can for whichever civic organization they choose, but the demands for our profession are so intense that it is challenging for most to take the time to do it.
“This is not to say that there aren’t other roles, like administrative support, fundraising, community risk reduction, etc., that folks can volunteer their time and expertise to help with, but the operational volunteer takes a great deal of time that most can’t seem to find these days.”
The total of applications Botetourt County Fire & EMS received in 2021 is the highest amount submitted in five years. Through community engagement and various partnerships with local businesses, Botetourt’s emergency staff successfully spread the word.
However, some divisions face smaller numbers of volunteers than others. In the coming weeks, The Fincastle Herald will highlight the different divisions of Botetourt’s emergency response teams, the friendships made, the families involved, and how residents may better understand what volunteering means for the community.
