Moore County honors volunteer firefighters

Moore County VFD during an evening training session.

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

A volunteer firefighter may leave the dinner table, step away from work, or head out late at night to respond to a fire, wreck, or other emergency. National Volunteer Firefighters Week, observed March 1-7, recognizes that service and the men and women of the Moore County Volunteer Fire Department who provide it without pay.

The week is also a reminder that volunteer firefighters train extensively for the job. They are trained responders who spend long hours preparing for dangerous, highly skilled work.

In Tennessee, volunteers must complete a 16-hour initial course before responding to fires. They must then finish a 64-hour basic course and a certified live burn within 36 months of joining. CPR training is required within 12 months, and hazardous materials awareness and operations training is required within 60 months.

Additional instruction includes fire behavior and chemistry, operation of self-contained breathing apparatus, structural entry and search, ventilation techniques, hose operations, ladder work, and victim rescue.

That training does not stop there. Moore County volunteers meet twice a month for ongoing instruction in water supply operations, wildland firefighting, first-response medical skills, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials awareness, and pump operations. Members are also encouraged to pursue advanced certifications in technical rescue, swift water response, and emergency medical services.

Altogether, a committed volunteer firefighter may invest 300 to 400 hours or more each year in training alone, on top of actual emergency response calls. In a rural county, that level of commitment is a major reason volunteer departments remain essential.

The week is also a reminder that the department needs more volunteers.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the United States has lost nearly 20 percent of its volunteer firefighting force over the past two decades. In rural communities like Moore County, where volunteer departments are the backbone of emergency services, that decline can mean staffing shortages, longer response times, and reduced capacity during emergencies.

The department said demanding work schedules, increasing training requirements, and a broader decline in community volunteerism have all contributed to the shortage.

The Moore County Volunteer Fire Department says no prior experience is required. Anyone interested in joining can attend a training session on the second or fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the station to learn more.

VFD tanker and engine companies practice water supply operations.