PITTSBURGH — State lawmakers are moving forward with efforts to increase the number of volunteer firefighters, hopefully putting an end to a dangerous statewide shortage.
This week, senators voted unanimously in favor of a bill that would provide grants for high school students to receive training in fire services.
The bill was co-sponsored by Allegheny County Senators Randy Vulakovich and Jay Costa. It now moves to the House.
Lawmakers say getting recruits before they graduate is key to keeping them.
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"We end up responding to more calls in more areas," said Chief Greg Porter with the Etna Volunteer Fire Department. "For example, when I started here, we ran about 150 calls a year. This past year, we ran 750 calls."
It's a problem impacting volunteer fire departments all across Pennsylvania and state lawmakers told Channel 11 they're listening.
"We have to do everything we can," said Senator Jay Costa.
To start, he and Senator Randy Vulakovich co-sponsored a bill for a pilot program that would fund fire-service training for high school kids.
Going through my interview with Senator Costa where he explains a new bill aimed at dealing with the state's firefighter shortage. Hear from him PLUS a local chief's response at 5:25! @WPXI pic.twitter.com/vN93oh9uWI
— Liz Kilmer (@LizKilmerWPXI) February 9, 2018
"We find that if you don't get 'em engaged in fire services by the time they leave high school, it becomes more and more difficult as they progress in their lives," Costa said.
Porter, who started with the volunteer department as a teen, said it's a great idea.
"It's very training intensive and life has a way of getting in the way of things sometimes," Porter said. "So I think that if we can capture them in high school, spark that interest and it's something they like, that provides real opportunity for both the individual and the fire department."
The program would launch in three community colleges.
Costa is hopeful that Allegheny County's would be one of them.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on Monday.
It now heads to the House, possibly in mid-March.
Costa hopes to get it on the governor's desk in June, in time to roll out the program for the upcoming school year.
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