Once I calculated the amount of hours I gave in the Volunteer Fire Service. It came to over 10'000 Hours in 20 yrs. These Volunteer Firefighters protect communities that are to small population density wise to afford paid Fire Departments. Even a Community such as East St. Louis didn't have the ability to go 100% paid and stay as a paid department because of cost. The NFPA Recommends that in a city a fire station has a coverage 1.5 miles from the station. The very first fire department I was on Covered 68 square miles of area with 1 station. Some estimates of a approximately 10,000 residents. 1/3rd of our Volunteers lived 20 minutes from our station. A New Fire Engine cost from 185'000.00 to 250'000 it has a service life of 10 yrs before refurbishment for a additional 10 years. A brand new Tanker the truck that transport water from a fill site to cost 150'000.00 to 250'000.00 depending on size. Has a life span of 20 yrs. A pumper tanker is a large Fire Engine with a large tank carrying from 1800 gallons of water to 3500 gallons of water has a service life of 20 yrs cost from 265'000.00 to 450'000.00. A ladder truck starts at 1'000'000.00 to 2.5 million dollars. Each set of turnout gear life span of 3 yrs cost 1400.00 to 2500.00 for each firefighter, or EMS personnel. Each air pack cost 2400.00. Now each firefighter is required to have so many hours of training every year. These cost prevent a lot of smaller communities from having paid personal or the taxes would strangle there economies.

A great big thanks to the volunteers who protect their communities!

30 year veteran in the volunteer service and thank you for carrying on

Thank you for supporting us, It's my honor and duty to serve my community as a volunteer firefighter.

This is a great video, and I actually just got home from training night. I appreciate all you other folks out there giving up your time with your families, from work, and sleep to help the community. Most people don’t really care much about us until we’re cutting them and their family out of a car, or we’re trying to save their homes. Cheers

Thank you Anheuser Busch for supporting us.

I like that in this video it doesn't openly advertise the sponsor, I only knew that it was Anheuser-Busch at the end of the video, which really highlights the fact that this video is about the firefighters, not the company sponsoring it. Thank you all for your service and be safe!

10 years I’ve spent in the fire service with many countless days I’ve spent out in the field doing what I love to do.

Great job supporting fire fighters and communities over the years during disasters.

Volunteer Public Safety Fire and Police Aux officer. I feel you guys! From Chicago

I’m a Volunteer Firefighter in Alabama and I love the video

I'm a former vol firefighter here in TN I'm trying to get back into it

Besafe brothers and sisters. I volunteered for 6 years in my town. The department has Union paid and Volunteer. To become a paid staff its pick and choose. The paid guys don't want volunteers at their station now because it's a Union fire house. They force the volunteers to a different house located 2 miles away. I don't volunteer no more at my department let the paid guys go on the calls. Get this most of the calls are EMS call and auto accidents. Fire related calls are low.

As a 39 year volunteer doing different operations from fighting fires to being a instructor to teach new recruits. Now I'm helping with fire inspections. This is a great video but a former chief told us he didn't like the term volunteer firefighter. He said that it puts a stigma on the department because people think they're are volunteer and aren't professionals. We started using non-paid professionals and paid professionals. Because they all have the same training.

Fire melted your helmet and mask but why did you did you not get out when your visor melted? It is set to melt at a lower temp to act as a warning.

Voluntary fireman luderitz namibia 22 years africa

Why do we do it