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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   1509 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 18, 2025

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Today the local volunteer fire department had this on their sign:

Odd hours

No pay

Cool hat

Join us

Which sort of begs the question: how in the world do volunteer fire departments exist, especially when there are non-volunteer departments in the same area? Don't they get tired of showing up to calls where someone had a heart attack and so in addition to an ambulance the fire department has to show up too for whatever reason? And how do they even find the time? They all have to work full time, and firefighters presumable skew young and without passive income.

Which sort of begs the question: how in the world do volunteer fire departments exist, especially when there are non-volunteer departments in the same area?

I live in area with volunteer and government supported fire departments. I have been told it is almost impossible to join the government supported fire department without experience. So a lot of young folks join the volunteer fire department as a way to get that experience. Same reason a lot of young folks become EMTs because they plan to apply to med school. Of course, many people change life course so people who intended to move on from being EMTs or volunteer fire fighters end up sticking with it rather than moving on.

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