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Most fire departments in Northeast Michigan depend on volunteers and paid-on-call personnel to combat fires, provide early medical treatment, and otherwise help people in need across the region.
That means we need you, dear readers.
Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds told News staff writer Steve Schulwitz for a story in today's edition that "pretty much every volunteer department in Alpena County is short-staffed."
That can cause real problems. When one agency doesn't have enough personnel to cover a fire, that agency must rely on a neighboring agency to provide aid. When the neighboring agency is providing that aid, however, that means it lacks personnel in its own jurisdiction should an emergency break out there.
"It impacts the overall system," Edmonds told Schulwitz. "It is a concern for the local chiefs."
Edmonds said those interested in becoming firefighters can contact their local chiefs in the township where they live, and can get certified with just some basic training.
That could be all they do, getting trained well enough to help fight fires in their community when needed while still working a day job.
Or, Edmonds said, they could access further medical training to get certified as an emergency medical technician or paramedic and make a career of it.
Either way, your help could be invaluable to protecting Northeast Michiganders' lives and property.
We encourage anyone who's ever thought even a bit about becoming a firefighter to reach out to their local chief to see how they can help.
Our chiefs need men and women to step up to make sure they have all they need to fight fires.
(THE ALPENA NEWS)