(VIDEO) It's an untold story and few really know what volunteer services are available in Houston County.
The men and women who volunteer to keep you safe with limited funds.
Here at the Hodgesville Fire Department Captain John Perkins, now serving the department for 8 years, comes on a slow night to check the trucks, making sure they are ready to go just in case a call does come into the station.
It's a 24 hour 7 day a week job, that every person on staff volunteers time to accomplish.
For Perkins, his fulltime job as an Emergency Preparedness Specialist for Southern Nuclear at Farley Plant.
But, previous experience drove Perkins to donate his time.
"I decided to be a volunteer firefighter for many reasons, for one I was a firefighter in the navy and I got all my firefighting skills from there, and I decided to branch out and meet people," says Captain John Perkins with the Hodgesville Volunteer Firefighter Department.
A quest to meet people quickly turned into a passion to serving others.
"I am passionate about protecting my community and responding," says Captain John Perkins with the Hodgesville Volunteer Firefighter Department.
That response is what the community needs.
"Most people dial 911 and they expect someone to come, but to run a fire department...It takes money it takes man power, our gear is probably around $5,000 a set. And our air packs are around $10, 000, so it takes a lot of funding, " says Captain John Perkins with the Hodgesville Volunteer Firefighter Department.
Funding isn't the only issue, finding enough people to donate their time is also a major concern.
"Regular firefighters get paid to be on shift and to go through that training, volunteer firefighters have to come out after work, do it late at night, 6:00 to10:00 p.m. roughly three times a week for about 3 or 4 months straight, " says Captain John Perkins with the Hodgesville Volunteer Firefighter Department.
The story is no different at Rehobeth Volunteer Fire Station where the same amount of funds equipment and dedication is required.
"We all have equipment, it might not be the best of shape, some of it may be out of date, and it think that is something for the community too, with us being volunteer, we charge bare minimum for what we do, if we charge at all," says Michael Scheetz volunteer firefighter with the town of Rehobeth.