Part 2/8:
Historically, the Big Beaver Volunteer Fire Company boasted a waiting list of prospective members eager to serve. However, in recent years, that enthusiasm has faded dramatically. Chief Straub highlights how current volunteers, many of whom are aging, are solely driven by a sense of obligation rather than enthusiasm or sufficient community incentives.
"When we have a fire call now, we don't know who will show up," Straub explains. "It could be just one or two members. The lack of new volunteers is alarming, and so are the aging membership rolls." This decline in staffing capacity poses serious safety risks, not only to the volunteers themselves but also to the residents they serve.