The Falcon Fire Protection District is a combination department, which means it uses both paid staff and volunteers in its day-to-day operations. However, it wasnít always that way.Falcon fire then and nowThe Falcon Fire Department came into existence in 1975 following a fire that destroyed a home on Owl Lane. At the time of the fire, Falcon residents relied primarily on county firefighters who responded from a station near whatís now Woodmen Road and I-25. Concerned by long response times, a group of residents decided to form an all-volunteer fire department in Falcon.It wasnít easy. The volunteers were responsible for everything from fundraising to acquiring and maintaining apparatus and equipment to training for fighting fires and emergency medical responses. An account written by Phyllis Anderson and posted on the FFPD website tells how vehicles obtained from the Forest Service and Civil Defense were first housed in a barn near Highway 24 and Cottontail Drive. Volunteers would later use materials salvaged from buildings in Colorado Springs, along with money from fundraisers and help from other community members, to build the fire station at the corner of Highway 24 and Old Meridian Road. The Falcon Fire Protection District was formed in 1981 to provide much needed revenue for the growing department.Through all of it, the volunteers received no monetary compensation for their efforts. The satisfaction of protecting neighbors, friends and families was compensation enough. Anderson wrote, ìThe fire fighting Volunteers are a group of hard working conscientious people who have put forth a lot of time and energy with no thought of personal gain or reward.î A volunteer pension plan was eventually adopted for members who met requirements for years of service and other criteria.As Falcon grew and calls for service increased, so did the demands on the volunteers. The first paid fire chief was hired in 1997, and paid firefighter/EMTs were hired in 2000. FFPD now maintains four fire stations and owns a variety of apparatus, including fire engines, water tenders and brush trucks.Volunteers still vital to operationsFFPD still relies on volunteers for staffing. ìThey continue to play a significant role as they supplement and add staffing to increase our service delivery,î said Jeff Petersma, FFPD division chief. ìWe continue to have increased call volume, but due to economic times and decreased assessed values on properties this is currently the most cost effective and achievable way to increase our staffing.†To add one full time career member per shift (three total) is a significant cost between salaries and benefits.îNow called reservists, volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel receive the same training and must maintain the same certifications as paid staff. Instead of responding from home, they pull shifts at a fire station and receive a small stipend for each shift worked. However, recruiting and retaining qualified volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel is becoming a challenge, not just locally but also nationwide.Decline of volunteerismThe National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 67 percent of U.S. fire departments are all-volunteer. About 25 percent rely on a combination of paid and volunteer staff. In Colorado, 39 percent of fire departments are all-volunteer, and 39 percent are combination departments.However, the number of volunteer firefighters in the U.S. is down 13 percent since 1984, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. Some of the contributing factors include the time volunteers must spend training and responding to calls; personal work schedules; and changes in social attitudes toward volunteering.Petersma, who grew up with the Falcon fire department and was a volunteer before becoming a district employee, has witnessed firsthand the changes in volunteerism. ìI have seen a significant decrease in volunteers who are neighbors helping neighbors,î he said. ì(Today) a typical volunteer is usually looking for career advancement in EMS or firefighting.î Petersma said he occasionally sees community-minded volunteers, but heís also noticed that once volunteers get involved with the department; they often become interested in pursuing emergency services as a career. ìUnfortunately, we do see attrition among volunteers, as we only have so many career opportunities available; and they gain employment elsewhere.îPetersma said the time commitment discourages people from volunteering and often contributes to volunteers resigning. To be a successful volunteer takes hard work and dedication, and the fire department must commit to the volunteers as well. ìYou typically get out of them what you put into them,î he said. ìSome of them you will lose for various reasons, and with good training programs you will likely lose numerous as they gain employment in the fire service or EMS.îVolunteers welcomeFFPD has opportunities for people who want to serve their community. Whether itís firefighting or EMS or simply helping with administrative tasks, thereís always work to be done. Visit the FFPD website at http://falconfirepd.org, or call 719-495-4050 to learn more.Petersma had this advice for current and prospective volunteers: ìStay community focused. You will be astonished by the results and the good that comes from it, both as a volunteer or career member.î
