Quote:
Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile
I would gladly volunteer for a local volunteer FD. Access to resources and equipment, training, etc. And the satisfaction of giving back to the community.
Actually here's a better idea - if you do volunteer as a firefighter (we could do the same thing for cops or other various "civic" type jobs - you get a $10k tax write off.
Voila! You just cut the cost of salaries by 90% and you'll have people beating the doors down to do it.
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Lots of people volunteer because the idea of giving back to your community is a noble jesture, but unfortunatly quite a lot are not suited for the job. Someone who gets physically ill at the sight of blood isn't much use at a car accident or a stabbing. People who get vertigo when they climb a ladder over 10' off the ground can't very well help someone out a apartment block window or take a line up the ladder to a roof. Claustrophobic.... better not be putting a mask on and crawing around in the pitch dark in a strange room. Not physically fit? You better be, because if something happens to me you better be able to drag my a$$ out when needed.
I remember a story about a volunteer dept running an ad in their local paper asking for new volunteers. A guy in a electric wheelchair showed up. They thanked him for his interest, but told him no thanks. He sued because there ad never stated there was any qualifications. The judge tossed the suit. The FD told him to come and hang around the station if he wanted to but they weren't going to spend the money for special equipment for him. He was happy with that.