The state of the volunteer firefighting force

Guests: William Jenaway and George DeVault

The first volunteer fire company in the nation started in Philadelphia in 1736 after much urging from Benjamin Franklin. Now almost three centuries later, Pennsylvania is facing serious volunteer firefighter shortages. In just 40 years, the state has lost 80% of its volunteer force. This alarming trend is happening all over the country. Today we’ll look the problem of declining numbers of volunteer firefighters and talk about the job itself. Marty’s guests are WILLIAM JENAWAY, program director of the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania’s Recruitment & Retention program and former King of Prussia Fire Chief and author GEORGE DEVAULT who has written a memoir, Fire Call, about his 30 years as a volunteer firefighter in Lehigh County Pennsylvania.

Photo: Montgomery County Planning Commission via flickr