This weekend’s Masters Tournament is often called “A Tradition unlike Any Other.” That phrase could also be applied to the volunteer fire and rescue service in St. Mary’s County. This Sunday that tradition will be on display from 1 to 4 p.m. as each of the 17 fire department and rescue squad companies will host an open house to showcase what they have for potential recruits.
Indeed, fire and rescue volunteerism is a tradition in many St. Mary’s County families as the baton is passed from generation to generation. The goal of the county’s new Recruitment and Retention Specialist Bill Smith is to light that spark in newcomers to the community and old-line families who don’t have that tradition. Smith comes to the county with 30 years of volunteer experience in Prince George’s County.
Smith’s pitch to younger people is that there is something better to do than go home after school and watch TV or play video games. “Come out and help your community instead,” he says. There are many opportunities that young people have in the county to do just not, not the least of which is the fire and rescue program at the St. Mary’s County Technical Center. Twenty-five mostly seniors from the three county high schools attend the program there every school day morning and then go to their home school for the afternoons.
The tech center program allows high schoolers to help achieve part of one of the basic requirements to be able to become a fire fighter or rescue squadsman: 102 hours of Firefighter ` training. That is also taught at the Southern Maryland Fire Training Institute in La Plata. Other requirements for firefighter are a six-month to a year probationary period, 24 hours of hazardous material; training and 162 hours of EMT training. Rescue squad members are not required to take the firefighter training.
Members of the volunteer squads are one big family, Smith said, and newcomers are embraced whether they belong to old-line families or not. That esprit de corps can be seen at award dinners of each department in which the newcomers are treated with as much respect as those who have been there for 50 years. Rookie of the Year Awards receive as much applause and Lifetime Achievement Awards. It is a place where many young people find themselves. Smith told the county commissioners during a briefing this week that there have been 19 new recruits since he started his job on January 1.
He also said that he hoped to expand the tech center program to 30 students next school year. The students are able to work on real equipment. Leonardtown Fire Department recently donated a working pumper and the students also have use of an ambulance donated by the Mechanicsville Volunteer rescue Squad.
In addition to recruitment, retention is also an issue in the county, particularly for young people. Smith said the call volume at local companies “is not what you see on TV,” and some kids lose interest.
Another issue is employer support. Smith said it’s not what it used to be, particularly with the economy being what it is and each employee being important to many businesses.
–>
