Acknowledging Local Fire Volunteers

Dear Editor,

As we recognize Fire Prevention Week from Oct 6-12, I wanted to acknowledge our local volunteers. "Not Every Hero Wears a Cape" is one of the themes on the NFPA.org website and I have to say the Glasgow and Long Run Fire Departments should be seen as our heroes. Disasters happen every day, and while we can hope there is never a disaster, hope is not a plan.

Our firefighters are volunteers. They are called away from their paying jobs, and their families to respond to structural and wildfires. Some calls are short, some extend beyond 24 hours. Some calls come and go in their memories, while others will stay with them their entire lives.

They are required to do a LOT of training. Our most seasoned firefighters have hundreds of hours of formal training they have gone through over the years, and hundreds of more hours of localized training in the fire halls. They attend community meetings, organize outreach events, and do tabletop and functional exercises to maintain their readiness. They spend their free time writing grants to help afford the resources they need. They volunteer to be on strike teams assisting other communities. It's servant leadership at its best.

So, as you think about what your "plan" is at home or work, also take a moment to say "thank you" to our local volunteers. Without them your insurance rates would be higher, we wouldn't have mutual aid agreements and our community would be at greater risk.

Take a few minutes at the dinner table this week to talk to your family about fire. Practice an "escape" from your home, your kids will love it, especially if they get to push a screen window out and crawl through. And if you need additional information, visit: http://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Fire-Prevention-Week

Sincerely,

Tanja Fransen

Glasgow, Mont.

Former volunteer firefighter with Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Department in Westcreek, Colo., and current Valley County Local Emergency Planning Committee member.