Growing need for volunteer fire fighters in Montana

STATE, AND NO MATTER HOW BAD ITGOT, IT COULD HAVE GOTTEN A T LOWORSEIF NOT FOR OUR VOLUNTEERFIREFIGHTERS.BUT THESE BRE N AVAND WOMEN THAT MOST OF US TAKEFOR GRANTED ARE BECOMING HARDERTO FIND, AND THAT'S A PROBLEMFOR EVERYONE.}{WALLY JESTERCHF IELEWIS CLARK COUNTY VOLUNTEERFIRE DEPARTMENT “IT'S JUST ASTRUGGLETO GET PEOPLE.

IT'COS MPLACENCY,THAT KIND OF THING.IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'SJOB AND SOMEBODY WILL DO IT.WELL WERE RUNNING OUT OF PEOPLETO DOIT.”}{THAT'S LEWIS AND CLARKCOUNTY FIRE CHIEF WALL JESTER,AND HETHINKS THESS IUE OF FINDINGVOLUNTEERS POINTS TO A PROBLEMTHAT'S OUT OF MOSTOF OUR HANDS.}{WALLY JESTERCHIEF LEWIS CLARKCOUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT“WHEN I WAS A KID DAD WORKED,MOMSTAYED HE.OMWHEN I GOT MARRIED, WE BOTH HADTO HAVE JOBS TOKEEP TENNIS SHOES ON THE KIDSAND IN THE PROGRAMS.AND IN TODAY'S WORLD ITHINK PEOPLE, THEY GOT ALL TSEHEHOMES AND THEY'RE SO EXPENSIVE,THECARS ARE SO EXPENSIVE, THEY VEHATO WORK TWO JOBS ANDSOMETIMES EXTRA JOBS JUST TOMAKE ENDS MEET.AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVETHE TIME TO STICK IT OUT.}{NOTENOUGH TIME OR MEYON IS APROBLEM ALL OF USFACE.BUT IN THIS CASE, THAT PROBLEMIS TRICKLING DOWN TO ALL OURSAFETY WITHTHIS YEAR'S FIRE SEASON STARTINGEARLIER AND PEOPLE NEEDING FSTRESPONDERS ALL YEAR LO.

NG}{WALLY JESTER CHIEF WIS LECLARK COUNTYVOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT “ITHINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE TRIEDHE TDEALAND THEY JUST FIGURE OUT HOWMUCH TIME IS EXPECTED TO DO IT.I MEAN, STWEVALLEY WE'RE ON TARGET TO RUNCLOSE TO 900 CALLS AS A FIREDEPARTMENT,VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.IT'S A JOB TO MANAGE IT.WE HAVE TO RDUTY OFFICERS, PUT OUT SIGN-UPSHEETS AT OUR BUSINESS MEETINGTOGUARANTEE THAT WE GET O TOTWCOMING FOR EVERY DAY, EVERYREALLY GREAT PEOPLE.”}{BLESSEDTO SAY THE LEA.

ST}{EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS AREN'TAS ROBUST AS THE FIRE CHIEFSWOULD LIKE, THE PEOPLE THEYWORK ALONG SIDE THE VOLUNTEERSKNOW HOW IMPORTANT EVERY ONE OFTHEM IS.}{CHRIS SPLIETHOF - DNRC HELENAUNIT FIRE NAMAGENTMEOFFICER “ I DON'T KNOW ATWHWE'D DO WITHOUT TH.

EMTHEY ARE A LARGE PORTIONOF OUR WORKFORCE AND A LOTF OTHEM COME ON TO TEAMS, THEY DODIFFERENTTHINGS.SOME SEEK HIGHER QUALIFICATIONS,GO OUT OF STATE, SOMEJUST STICK AROUND LOCALLY.THEY ARE GREAT FOLKS TO HAVEAROUND AND VERY,VERY MUCH NEEDED.”}{AND ENEVTHOUGH, AS OF RIGHT NOW THE ERNO MONEY IN BEING A VOLUNTEERFIRE FIGHTER, IF YOU ASK JESTEROR ANY OF THEMEN AND WOMEN WHO DO SACRIFICETO KEEP US SAFE THERE AISREASONRE GATERTHAN MONEY TO BE ON CALL.}{WALLY JESTERCH IEF LEWISCLARKCOUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT“WHEN YOU GO ON A CALL ANDYOU'RE PT AROF A CREW THAT CUTS APART A CARAND SAVES THEIR LIVES OR STOPSTHAT WILANDLDFIRE WHEN ITS COMING ROLLING UPTO THEIR HOUSE AND YOU SE AVTHEIRHOME, OR MAKE AN INTERR IOATTACKON A STRUCTURE FIRE AND SAVE SOMUCH, U YOCAN GO TO BED THAT NIGHTTHINKING, WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCEWEMADE TOD.

AYTHERE'S YOUR PAYCHECK.”}{ANDYCURTIS WALLYADDED THAT THEY ARE TRYINGO TSOLVE THE RECRUINGTI PROBLEM BUTTHAT IS A LOTEASIER SAID THAN DE.ON}{TO HEAR WHAT SOME OF HIS IASDEARE TO BRINGIN NEW RECRUITS OR FOR ME ORINFORMATION ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEERFIREDEPARTMENTS CHECK OUT THIS STORYON OUR WEBSITE.}{REPORTING IN HELENA, ANDY CURTIS, MTNNEWS.}[(***ACURT*S **)] SIXTEENAMERICAN CHR