An event in the Poconos stresses the critical need for more volunteers to become involved with their local fire departments, ambulance squads and other community organizations.
The volunteer fair was held Saturday afternoon at Echo Lake Park in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County.
An official with the Marshalls Creek Fire Company says volunteering is a big commitment, but it's worth it to help protect your community and make it better. "None of us get paid for our time. We are on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, weekends, holidays, 365 days a year, and in that period of time we surrender family time, we surrender time from employment locations and so forth to protect the public. It is getting very difficult to get people in the doors as volunteers," said Assistant Fire Chief, Eugene Berry Sr.