“We’ve had some guys retire and we traditionally have always kept a spot or two open just in case somebody would move in who had served with a different department somewhere and had experience,” said Art Jacobs of the PVFD. “We’ve just had a lot more fire calls and medical calls and we’ve felt like we’re a little short right now.”
Plymouth’s Fire Department is composed of largely volunteers who give their time to make the city a safer place.
“You’re on call 24/7,” said Jacobs. “If I’m having dinner and there’s a call, I get up and leave my family and go. If it’s 2 a.m. and I’m going to work at 5 a.m. and there’s a call, I get out of bed and go.
“The volunteers do most of the firefighting. It takes six to fill a truck and it takes about 15-20 guys to fight a structure fire. It can take 40 to 50 to fight a big industrial fire like the one that we had here earlier in the year.”
The department has six to eight spots open for anyone willing to volunteer. There is a training requirement in order to serve.
“You have to have 60 hours of training before you can get on the truck and respond to a scene,” said Jacobs. “You also have to have your Firefighter 1 and 2 training within the first three years.”
The two courses run at the same time and involve 160 hours of fire training two nights a week over the course of four to five months. The course is a college level course and requires a proficiency test.
There is also feeling of pride that goes with the job.
“It makes me feel good to know that I’m helping the community and assisting other people in a time of need,” said Jacobs. “What I’ve learned as a firefighter has helped me make my home a safer place. It can help make your work place safer with the knowledge you can apply.”
You can get more information by visiting the fire department’s Web site at http://www.plymouthfiredept.org /.