Statement from Cedar Creek Volunteer Fire Department Association
It is never good to lose a Volunteer Fire Department that has spent numerous hours volunteering to train, serve, protect, and save lives and property of their respected community.
Cedar Creek Volunteer fire department has the smallest district in Greene County and has two other Volunteer Fire Departments within 3.5 mile of the Cedar Creek fire station. I met with the Chief David Weems of South Greene Volunteer Fire Department and Chief Issac Ottinger of Saint James Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday September 14th to divide up Cedar Creek VFD response area. On the afternoon of Friday September 13th, I notified Greene County Central Dispatch Center via email to automatically dispatch the 2nd due department for any incident type within the Cedar Creek VFD response area. These departments will be St. James and South Greene Volunteer Fire Departments.
The community will maintain fire protection in the entire Cedar Creek Community provided by South Greene and St. James Volunteer Fire Departments. These two departments are a Class 5 ISO rated department which is very good for a volunteer organization. Cedar Creek was the only department in Greene County that was a Class 10 rating.
The ISO rating is graded on Equipment, Water Supply, Amount, Response, and Training of personnel. All other areas the departments are graded on is done by how a department is being dispatched. ISO is a grading system that is performed every 4 to 5 years unless a department request a visit earlier.
Seven years ago, the Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments set a standard to have three departments automatically dispatched to a report of a structure fire in order to get the amount of personnel and equipment to the scene and to be able to operate safely. It was also set forth that all volunteer fire departments must have at a minimum, four trained firefighters who have received 64 hours of basic firefighting along with 16 hours of live burn evolutions that is taught by the Tennessee Fire and Codes Academy. This is to assure the safety of personnel to be able to operate with 2 firefighters to do interior firefighting along with 2 firefighters outside to perform a rescue of firefighters if needed. The Cedar Creek community has not been without fire protection during this transition and will continue to be served by South Greene and St. James VFD as the primary responding agencies.
Cedar Creek Volunteer Fire Department has been experiencing the same issues that other volunteer organizations are experiencing, the lack of members to perform the necessary duties. It is very difficult for a volunteer fire department to operate without an active membership. Getting members has been an ongoing problem for the Volunteer Fire Departments with a lack of interest in volunteering. It takes time and the willingness to obtain the necessary training to help others in an emergency. When you get someone that is interested in joining a volunteer fire department and you ask them if they are willing to take the required training to do the job of firefighting, most reply that they do not have the time to commit to become a basic firefighter.
Additionally, in order to respond to calls and to be an operator of the apparatus you must complete Emergency Vehicle Operation Class and learn how to operate the equipment. As you see there is a lot required of a volunteer firefighter just to be able to help their respected community. Every volunteer fire department in Greene County needs volunteers. If these departments don’t get the amount of members and support that is needed, I feel that we will see additional departments struggle and possibly close within the next few years.
ISO ratings will increase causing home insurance to increase. The lower the ISO rating results in the possibility of insurance savings for the homeowner. Volunteer Fire Departments are a vital part of emergency response for Greene County. Each department provide fire protection, rescue during motor vehicle accidents, manpower to assist the Rescue Squad, fire prevention and safety programs, and assisting the community with standby while burning brush.
The volunteer fire departments have also assisted during extreme drought conditions by hauling water for farmers. One volunteer fire department also provides medical response within its jurisdiction. To be a volunteer firefighter takes commitment and time away from jobs and families and a passion to help others on their worse day.
