Walking through the corridors of the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department building on Maple Street tells the story of the 180-year-old service organization that has made its mission to protect the lives and property of the community from one of its worst enemies—fire.
Shelves of memorabilia and trophies, memorial plaques, archival records, and awards fill a room showcasing a hand-pumper built in Philadelphia in 1804 and purchased in 1878 to help volunteers fight fires before the department was incorporated in 1908. Talk about a long tradition of service.
For Chief of Chestertown Fire Department John Darling, the tradition of volunteerism is key to their success and, as in many service organizations, becomes a “calling” within families and handed down from one generation to the next. Inspired by his mother, an EMT responder, and brother-in-law who was a firefighter in Goldsboro, Darling started his career when he was 14 and, through 26 years of service, rose through the ranks to lead the department.
“Longevity is not unusual in fire departments — large and small — around the state. Firefighters are known for dedicating their lives to the fire service, working 24-hour shifts, responding to fires and explosions, automobile accidents and medical emergencies,” Darling says.
But the old days of allowing time for volunteer commitment are becoming more difficult, imperiled by primary jobs and family responsibilities, and Darling is concerned about attracting new people to the profession.
“Not just in the volunteer fire service but within the VFW, the Lions Club, all the volunteer agencies are seeing the decline. It’s hard for people doing this as a career when they work 24 to 48 hours while raising a family or working a second or third job.”
Even though Darling feels the Department is fortunate to have a pool of 15-20 volunteers to cover their needs, the Chief and department board continue to look for ways to present their profession as a great career path and to instill in the community their need for ongoing support.
Here, the Spy talks with Chief John Darling, Board President Steve Bilinski, and Deputy Chief Brad Russum about the need to inspire a younger generation to consider fire and emergency services not only as a volunteer but as a career.
For more about Chestertown Fire Department, its need for community support, and upcoming events like this Sunday’s car show at Worton Park, go here and on Facebook here.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length.
Thomas says
Step one on attracting, and keeping, new members is proper mentoring. It doesn’t get done. People get brought in and left to find their own way. They have to try to force their way into the cliques that exist in order to feel welcome. Companies always try to recruit and talk about the family atmosphere, but it’s just talk. They join, they get ignored for the most part, and then they leave. Who wants to volunteer to be treated like that? Nobody. Fix that. Make people feel welcome to be there. Then maybe you will be more successful at recruitment and especially retention.