PLUM, Pa. —
Plum Borough is introducing a stipend program to address the decline in volunteer firefighters.
The new initiative will see three volunteer firefighters—a driver and two interior firefighters—being compensated to respond to calls across Plum Monday through Friday.
Chief Carey Cole of the Renton Volunteer Fire Department said those are the days and hours when many people are working their paid jobs, making it challenging to get volunteers to answer calls.
"During the daytime, you don't get anybody. You're getting -- you're getting a lot of trucks, but you're only getting one or two guys. So, you need to have a competent crew that shows up and is well trained and you don't want to wait. You know, when you call 911, you want someone to be there. You don't want to wait, you know, ten, fifteen, twenty minutes for that emergency," Cole said.
This decline has made staffing a continuous challenge, prompting the department to explore creative solutions to entice volunteers and improve response times.
"Back in the 80s, 90s, there were 300,000 volunteers. Now there's less than 30,000 volunteers in Pennsylvania," he said.
The stipend program is funded through the department's fire fund.
Cole explained the importance of having firefighters ready to respond swiftly, stating, "When you call 911, you want someone to be there. You don't want to wait, you know, ten, 15, 20 minutes for that emergency."
In addition to the stipend, the department had previously offered rent-free living at the station for volunteers willing to answer calls, a perk that hasn't been utilized since 2017.
Cole is hopeful that the new program will be more successful.
Plum resident Patti More expressed her support for the initiative, noting the increasing number of emergencies in the area.
"There's a lot of sirens around here. So, it's getting busier. But I think it's great," she said.
Firefighters can sign up for a daylight shift during the week, and although they are considered volunteers, they will be compensated for being at the station and ready to take calls during that time.
To be eligible, you have to be a volunteer at one of the following four Plum departments:
Those volunteers will staff the Renton station, which is centrally located in the borough.
Cole hopes this initiative will entice current volunteers to cover shifts and encourage others to volunteer, ultimately decreasing response times.
They aim to begin the daytime staffing in April.
To learn more about the program, click here. To apply for the Plum Stipend Program, click here.