Quincy-area fire district needs volunteers

Grant County Fire District No. 3 volunteers participate in a training exercise. Michele Talley/courtesy photo Grant County Fire District No. 3 volunteers participate in a training exercise.

by Contributing Writer & Richard Byrd
| January 16, 2015 5:00 AM

QUINCY - Grant County Fire District No. 3 is seeking local men and women to join their volunteer fire department.

District No. 3 relies heavily on its volunteer-based fire department, which consists of 80 volunteers and seven career firefighters. In 2014, the district responded to 699 emergency calls, 351 of which required emergency medical service.

The district provides fire and life safety services to about 16,000 people in the communities of Quincy, Winchester, Low Gap, George, Sunland Estates, Trinidad and Crescent Bar.

Nationally, volunteer fire departments have seen a decline in numbers. In Washington alone only 42.3 percent of the fire departments are volunteer-based, 37.8 percent mostly rely on volunteer firefighters, 8.5 percent rely on mostly career fire fighters and 11.5 percent rely on career firefighters, according to data from the United States Fire Administration.

To help combat the trend of dwindling volunteer fire department numbers, the district applied for and received a Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant from the federal government in 2013.

The SAFER grant, which lasts four years, funds a recruitment and retention coordinator for the district, a position which firefighter Michele Talley now occupies.

Talley said she is working to recruit new volunteers and developing and implementing strategies to keep existing firefighters.

Before a volunteer can go out to a call, they are required to pass initial training, as well as receive training in basic first aid and wildland fire fighting.

Once volunteers have the necessary training, they are required to respond to a minimum of 10 percent of calls at their home fire station and attend two-hours of drill each month.

"Training is the most important thing you can do," said Talley. "A fire doesn't care if you are a career or volunteer fire fighter. It's important that you have the same basic skills for your own safety and the safety of others."

Talley also said volunteers can receive a "per diem" for every shift they work. Fire fighter shifts (also known as per diem shifts) are available every night of the year from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., with the shifts paying $50 per shift. Volunteers can also be further compensated based on a points-for-calls system.

Volunteers receive free air medical transport, and accidental death and inability insurance.

Talley said the district plans to apply for another SAFER grant in 2015 to provide tuition assistance in order to attract and retain volunteers, and that the district want to compensate volunteers for length of service, as an added incentive to stay on longer.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Michele Talley at 509-787-2713 or email mtalley@gcfd3.net.