Volunteer fire departments are asking for help to replenish declining participation in communities across Alaska.
Fire chiefs from Girdwood Fire and Rescue and Seward Volunteer Fire Department said low volunteer turnout is a statewide epidemic.
“Community volunteering for the fire services is down nationwide 12 percent,” Girdwood Fire and Rescue Chief Michelle Weston said. “So what we are seeing in Girdwood, and also in other communities around Alaska, is a decrease in community members willing to step up and participate to be volunteer firefighters.“
Volunteers comprise 70 percent of firefighters in the United States, saving localities like Girdwood and Seward an estimated $46.9 billion per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.