Everyday, they answer the call.
Whether it's a raging house fire, a bad car crash, or a medical emergency -firefighters are on the front lines saving lives. But there's a shortage of firefighters, especially volunteers. It's a problem gripping most parts of the state, including Guilford County.
One minute, it's a quiet fire station. The next, firefighters are springing into action, throwing on boots and overalls, jumping into the engine, and taking off. "We were originated as an all volunteer fire department. Over the years, on the national scale, volunteer staff as a whole has declined," said Division Chief Derek Carson with the Pinecroft-Sedgefield Fire Department.
Decades ago, many stations just like his were solely staffed by volunteer firefighters from the community.
"We’ve had a lot more, probably three times the number of volunteers that we currently have, but like I said nationally that trend has declined. And we’ve seen the impacts locally," Carson said.