KCBD NewsChannel 11 LubbockVolunteer Fire Departments see decline in volunteers

In the past seven days, Texas Forest Service has responded to 81 fires that charred 442,461 acres. More than 900 firefighters from across Texas and 33 different states have been called to help battle the blazes, which have prompted the evacuation of more than 500 homes.

Volunteer firefighters have been working rigorously to put out fires across West Texas but many are often risking their lives without the full benefits that would normally come with a job as a non-volunteer firefighter.

Volunteer fire departments face struggles with funding, recruiting and in some cases, insurance benefits to protect their staff.

"If we don't do it, whose going to?" Said West Carlisle Fire Chief Tim Smith. "Our families live out there. Fire can't burn unchecked," Smith continued.

Volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, and at any moment they could be called to battle a fire.

"Ben Franklin was a volunteer firefighter. It's nothing new to volunteer, but what we see is a decline in volunteerism," Smith said.

A decline in volunteers begs the question: Would you risk your life for $5?

"We get paid $5.00 a call, and at the end of the year they give us one check for the total," Wolfforth firefighter Lance Hamilton said.

Volunteers are also not given the same benefits as city employees when it comes to insurance.

"Most of them have workman's comp, but that's about all they have," Hamilton explained.

"Fire is an inherently dangerous animal, and the thing we have to rely on is our training," Smith said. But training can't happen without funding and time.

"You have to have enough time to go to fundraisers; without funds you can't train, and if you can't train you can't fight fires," Smith said.

Most volunteer firefighters also have day jobs that often can conflict with fighting fires.

"Its very uncommon to find an employer who will let their employee leave to go fight a fire," Smith explained.

"Actually, the main difference between a paid and volunteer dept is at a paid one you know what resources you have coming to a call. But on a volunteer call you may have everybody show up or you may have only 2 people show up," Hamilton said.

But, Hamilton says. volunteer or not the battle is still the same.

"The fire doesn't know if you're a volunteer fire fighter or a paid one."

The majority of the state of Texas is protected by volunteer firefighters with over 800 departments in comparison to the 114 paid departments.

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