Officials with the Limestone Township Fire Protection District say their department is in a crisis.
The key problem is staffing. The department has 32 members, but only 10 are considered consistently active. Limestone Fire Chief Mike Whalen said he has met with other area departments who say they are suffering the same problem. The state training requirements for department members are steep, which means fewer people join. It takes about two years of training to become a paramedic, Whalen said. Additionally, laws require firefighters to get 250 hours of continuing education annually.
With that kind of training, Whalen said, those who complete it eventually seek a full-time job, often in the suburbs, where pay is higher. So essentially, Whalen said, departments such as Limestone subsidize larger departments by footing training bills.