rescuecpt
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Decline In Volunteers Is A Nationwide Trend, Pennsylvania Amongst Hardest Hit
HEIDI PRICE
Courtesy of Observer-Reporter
In 1976, Pennsylvania boasted an estimated 300,000 volunteer firefighters.
By 1995, the number of volunteers had dropped to 70,000, a 19-year decline of 230,000, according to one study.
Nationwide, volunteers comprise between 85 and 90 percent of firefighter ranks. But Ed Mann, state fire commissioner, said the number of Pennsylvania volunteers is typically closer to 95 percent, making this decline in volunteers even more troubling.
To reverse this trend, Pennsylvania lawmakers approved an amendment to the state school code that allows high schools to offer firefighter and emergency medical services training.
"It's another recruiting tool," said Mann, an assistant chief at a small volunteer station. "Everyone needs to understand this is not a mandate on school districts."
http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=33601