From the Publishers Desk
departments
Volunteers Make Big Contribution To Nation’s Economy and Safety
Few persons outside the fire service realize the tremendous contribution that the volunteer fire departments make to both the economy and safety of their communities. Imagine what a small community would have to pay for the manpower that a volunteer department can muster at a fire. And also imagine what would happen to the small community that didn’t have a fire department—disaster!
Down through the years our volunteers have served their communities well in an increasingly sophisticated and demanding society that presented problems “across all of the economic, technological and social categories,” as author John Granito says elsewhere in these pages. Compared with earlier years, Granito says, it appears more difficult today to manage volunteer fire departments and to keep them improving as the need for community protection increases.
Personnel management is, in our opinion, a very important item in any administration. In a fire department is is probably the most important because manpower is the key element on the foreground. A department must be staffed with good people, highly motivated and well-trained. And it was with this thought in mind that our editor planned this August issue.
As for training in the volunteer service, we again quote Granito; “While it is highly recommended that personnel attend … training programs offered by state and county agencies, and by some colleges, nothing can replace department training where fire fighters and officers train with their own equips ment.”
And speaking of equipment, don’t forget the display of equipment that the IAFC will have at their conference in Kansas City. We will be in Booth 109. Please stop by and say hello.
