STATE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS GET A LITTLE HELP

(03/16/2011)

With West Virginia's volunteer fire departments at risk, the WV legislature gave them some help with the passage of a bill that will provide about $5 million to help them pay their worker's compensation costs. Some volunteer department's are facing up to a 700% increase on worker's comp premiums. Several departments advised legislators they would have to cease operations if nothing was done to address the problem. The solution, however, is only for one year. Another crisis facing volunteer departments is recruitment and retention of members. In a time when volunteerism is rapidly declining, the necessity of having volunteer fire departments is ever more important. Volunteers say part of the problem is bringing training requirements to the standards of paid firemen, and in many rural counties, volunteers work out of their service area during the day.

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