tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870152115683426710.post2525801717413272470..comments2024-03-25T11:56:19.938-04:00Comments on Goochland on my mind: Rolling up the rugS. E. Warwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16617370499414107804noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870152115683426710.post-76507823115853782842012-10-16T17:58:46.232-04:002012-10-16T17:58:46.232-04:00Possibly the most stark and maybe the least noted ...Possibly the most stark and maybe the least noted observation here is that without volunteers willing to devote time and energy to learning the job and running the calls, the equipment is useless. Folks may also not be aware that the stations and much of the equipment are owned by the individual departments, not by Goochland County.<br /> <br />The Volunteers also have families, that means birthday parties, ball games, Scout meetings, dance recitals, school events, elderly parents and relatives, houses to clean, yards to mow, etc, etc, not to mention the REAL jobs we have to go to every day and hopefully the occasional weekend at the beach. No one asks that everyone in the county volunteer, not everyone is physically able and some honestly cannot commit the time. Others are already engaged 'to the eyeballs' in some other form of community service...but if you could give up one weekly commitment to help someone you don't know, to ensure the safety of your neighbors, to help make sure that there will be an ambulance or fire truck coming to you when you need it, would you do it? <br /><br />I think most people in Goochland would be shocked, maybe a little ashamed, to find out how many Fire & Rescue members, particularly in the East End, don't even live in Goochland. Some of us live (and pay taxes) in counties with huge professional Fire & EMS departments. We do this because we like it. The job is satisfying and rewarding. The vast, overwhelming majority of the time the people we go to help are grateful and supportive. Money equips and fuels the trucks, but thank you is what fuels the people. <br /><br />Much ink is spilled and many flowery words used enshrining the virtues of community service and helping your fellow man...too often it stops at spilled ink and words...completely meaningless without action.<br /><br />If this small missive has piqued the reader's interest, go to the local firehouse and talk to the people there. Find out what it takes to do this job. Ride along for a shift. If you join us, the county will train and equip you. All you have to commit is the time and the desire, everything else springs from that.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870152115683426710.post-20132243473873451652012-02-19T21:02:25.490-05:002012-02-19T21:02:25.490-05:00It makes it mighty tough to recruit new volunteer ...It makes it mighty tough to recruit new volunteer firefighters and EMTs when the media's portrait of the organization is all doom and gloom. <br /><br />The truth is that career staffing supplements the volunteers. Most EMS and nearly all fire calls are covered by the volunteers and a few more career staff will not change that. Even if this does change over time, there will be a group of people dedicated to helping their fellow man, so long as they continue to have the support of the fire-rescue administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com