We are one of the 23,000 all volunteer fire departments in the US.  If our members weren't willing to commit themselves to helping others, some of our residents would be looking at 20 to 30 minutes before the arrival of help when they desperately needed it.  If the person you love the most was having a heart attack or trapped in a burning building, how would you feel as you watched and waited for paid help from out of town to arrive?  That's why we volunteer, to help out when it's needed the most and to try to make the difference in someone else's life.  When people call us for help, it is usually one of the worst days of their lives, and we do our very best to quickly and safely control a potentially terrible situation.
        As volunteers, we are on call 24 hours a day to respond to an ever-growing variety and number of emergencies.  Although no one gets paid for their time, the satisfaction in saving someone's life or a family's house is priceless.  There are also many less gratifying things that need to be done regularly such as maintaining our equipment, building, and grounds, attending training, having meetings, educating the public, and working bingo and other fundraisers.  Unfortunately, we are often shorthanded and unable to do many of the things we would like to.
        To continue to provide and expand our services to you, we need your help.  The number of volunteers has steadily decreased in the US by 5-10% over the last 15 years, and the ranks of our department have been no exception.  There are no special qualifications or experience needed to join, just a desire to help us serve your friends and neighbors.  We need people just like you to step up and volunteer some of your time.  There are no monthly quotas or length of service commitments and we will pay for any training that you are willing to acquire.  We have a hands-on cadet program for interested teenagers over 14 years old.  If you are not physically able or not willing to be a firefighter, we need volunteers to fill a variety of roles such as emergency medical technicians and fundraising workers.
        If you are unable to donate your time, we still need your help in the form of monetary support.  Generally people believe that they have already paid for our services by way of taxes, which is only partially correct.  Tax revenue makes up only a small portion of our annual budget, and without further community support through fundraisers and donations, we would be forced to provide second-rate service or possibly close our doors.  We need your support at our weekly bingo game held every Thursday night.  We need your support at our fundraising roadblocks, chicken roasts, and other fundraisers.  We need your support if and when we put a levy on the ballot asking for more funds. We need your support whenever you can afford to go the extra mile with a tax-deductible donation.  Thank you for reading.

Copyright 2001 Hillndale Volunteer Fire Department.
Permission granted for reproduction and use by non-profit or volunteer agencies.