Empty Well

Comment

Comment by Paul Combs on March 22, 2012 at 10:29pm

Yes.

Comment by Chad on March 22, 2012 at 4:33pm

Thank's for your comment on my post Paul I agree 100% our pool has changed under our watch and we have not changed with it.  May I have your permission to use this illustration in my KeyNote presentations and at my FDIC class? 

Comment by Paul Combs on March 21, 2012 at 8:23am

Capt: I don't disagree that the bucked has its issues, but when the pool of volunteers that used to be available are now working two (or three) jobs, leaving to find better jobs in larger cities, or simply too busy to volunteer - the well is looking pretty empty to me. Not to mention the youth of our communities, whether to attend college or leave for a more urban experience, are not staying in the small towns they grew up in. It's getting very scary, indeed!

Thanks for a different point of view!

Comment by Chad on March 20, 2012 at 9:45pm

Hey Paul

Love the cartoon! You would be are pressed to find a more committed fan thank you for bringing awareness to such a prolific problem!!!!

A quick observation for your readers.  

Our well isn't dry our bucked is broke!  I have been a tireless advocate for recruitment and retention speaking across North America on this very subject.  The fire service has not changed its delivery model for over 150 years. The mantra 100 years of tradition unimpeded by progress applies to more than the fire ground.

I am honoured to have been asked to teach at FDIC this year!  I invite all of your readers Paul to come and become a part of the solution!

Chad Sartison

Firefighters1st.org

Captain Priddis Volunteer Fire Department

Comment by Mary Ann Hooton on March 20, 2012 at 8:09am

I agree with Tim Beebe, a novel could be written from this!! Love it!

Comment by Paul Combs on July 27, 2010 at 10:05pm

Thanks, Chief!

Comment by Tim Beebe on July 27, 2010 at 7:56pm

Wow. A picture sure is worth a thousand words . . . maybe a million in this case.

Comment by Capt. Tom on April 23, 2010 at 9:32pm

Paul, This is truly a prophetic illustration. Thank you for creating it. If I had access to it I would have provide it to my guest post on Occupational Health and safety when they published an editorial on the easy answer to restocking the volunteer fire service (Fire Explorers and Fire Corps). You can read my response here: http://ohsonline.com/blogs/the-ohs-wire/2010/04/restocking-the-fire... , Thank you for all you do to bring the big issues to life in a meaningful way.
Capt. Tom

Comment by Carol Wilder-Goodwin on April 14, 2010 at 12:37pm

I think all voluteers know this is the plain truth.
We have 12 members. One 22 year old (my son), 2 in their 30's and the rest of us are in their mid-to-late 40's. In rural areas most of our populations are older/retired people. It's hard to keep young people in the area once they finish high school. Unless they've grown up with a family member on the department they don't seem interested in joining.