(WKYT) – Volunteer fire departments across Central Kentucky are struggling to recruit and retain firefighters, a problem that has persisted for decades.
Seventy-five percent of fire departments across Kentucky are all volunteer-based, according to the United States Fire Administration. Many of those struggle to find people willing to dedicate their time.
Red Lick Fire Department in Madison County is one station bearing this burden.
Volunteer firefighter Keith Everitt said they have 30 people on the roll but only a third of them can respond to every call. He would like to see double that number.
Everitt believes if 20 people could respond to 75 percent of the calls, they would be much more efficient.
“To get 6, 8, 10 firefighters because you can become exhausted and overheated very quickly at a fire scene is becoming part of our problem,” Everitt said.
Fire departments in Hargett in Estill County and Clay City in Powell County face the same staffing challenges, as well as funding issues.
The stations rely on grants and community donations to buy new trucks, equipment and gear.
Gear costs $3,000 to $5,000 per person.
If volunteers go to classes with out-of-date gear, they will not be allowed to take the courses and will not become certified.
Volunteer fire departments rely on surrounding stations to lend a helping hand when there is a shortage.
Major Lisa Johnson with Clay City said without each other, there would not be this network of volunteers.
“When Hargett needs us, we come, when we need them, they come, and we always end up having enough, it works out,” Johnson said.
Everitt believes the only motivation that would turn the volunteer firefighter shortage around is a local tragedy.
But these fire departments want to have the staff to prevent those in the first place.
Volunteer fire stations put new volunteers through training to become certified.
Firefighters at Red Lick say starting off at a volunteer station often leads to a career with a paid department.