WOODVILLE, Fl. (WTXL) -- They fight to save lives and many of them do it on their own dime.
While most of our country's fire service is made up of volunteer firefighters, their numbers are dwindling, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council.
One of the biggest issues facing volunteer departments is recruiting. Many work their paid jobs by day and respond to fires and emergency calls by night.
When Woodville Fire Lt. Richard Salim isn't working his day job at Williams Communications installing emergency equipment, he's on call ready to help you during an emergency.
"The pager goes with me everywhere and when it goes off you get in the truck and go," said Lt. Salim.
He is one of five volunteer firefighters protecting the Woodville community.
Lt. Salim started volunteering eight years ago.
"There was a structure fire we went to a few years back," said Lt. Salim. "There were a few items that survived. You hand someone back something that just looks like a guitar to you, but means the world to that person, and you just see the 'thank you' and the 'oh my God you guys are here' and it makes it all worth it."
His mother was a volunteer firefighter, as well as his uncle. For many firefighters, it's something that runs in their blood.
Sandra Meuth's dad is the chief of the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department. She's hoping to follow in her dad's footsteps. It only took one ride-along for her to understand the difference her dad makes in people's lives.
Chief Richard Meuth is 54 years old and has been a volunteer firefighter for decades. He's seen it all, from fires to crime scenes, and car accidents. Chief Meuth says last year the number of dispatched calls for the Woodville area was about 1,100.
"We're blessed in Leon County to have Tallahassee Fire Department as our primary fire suppression and EMS services, so even if a volunteer doesn't respond there is someone coming to help you," said Chief Meuth.
He says they still need volunteers.
"It's an ongoing battle," said Meuth. "I currently have including myself, five responders in the volunteer fire department. Ideally, I would love to have five more, a total of 10, nine volunteers plus myself to spread out the wealth, spread out the workload a little."
He says you could save lives.
"If it's two o'clock in the morning and it's the house next to me and she has a heart condition, well, I'm going to beat the paid guys there because I literally walk out of my house and walk next door," said Meuth. "There are times we make a difference and there are times that we get canceled because we're not needed, but that's okay the help that gets there first is the help that needs to be there first."
He says if you're not the adrenaline type, there are a number of behind the scene opportunities.
"There's always a need for support staff, board members, people assisting in writing grants, looking for grants, assisting in talking to elementary school students," said Meuth. "There's always a need in your community."
Overall, on a national scale, the number of volunteer firefighters is dropping. About 70 percent of the fire service is volunteer.
"For one thing we are an aging population that is reflective of the ranks of the volunteer fire service," said National Volunteer Fire Council Chairman Philip Stittleburg. "What that means is that we are seeing the rate of retirement more rapid than the rate of recruitment. One way to address it is through social media."
That's one way to target young people, but Stittleburg says he's also seen organizations like the Firemen's Association of the State of New York have statewide recruitment campaigns, helping local departments hold open houses and promoting volunteerism.
He says there's also a full-time recruiting office in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Stittleburg says volunteer firefighters save communities $140 billion each year.
While departments like Woodville are small in numbers, it seems their hearts are enormous when it comes to helping others.
Chief Meuth says they go through training like paid firefighters. They also do annual live burn training with the City of Tallahassee. You can click here to learn more about the Woodville firefighters. Woodville is one of six volunteer departments in Leon County.
Check out the National Volunteer Fire Council for even more information.
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