Fire chief looks to ensure three people are readily available for fire calls with trial program
By Kellen Olshefski
SLN Staff
The Elkhorn Area Fire Department is looking to provide its volunteers with a small stipend to stick around for 8-hour shifts in the hopes that it will help to provide better service to the communities it covers.
At the City of Elkhorn Finance and Judicial Committee Monday night, Fire Chief Rod Smith confirmed the department is having issues getting the minimum amount of volunteers – three for each vehicle – to respond to calls.
What Smith is looking to do is run a trial period in which volunteers would be provided a $25 stipend by volunteering to be at the ready for 8-hour shifts, two shifts a day, seven days a week, something which Smith said has seen some success on the EMS side of the department’s operations in the past.
“I’m trying to do something to guarantee that we have people available,” he said. “Hopefully this works. I can’t guarantee it, but we have to try something.”
Smith said he hopes this new program would guarantee the department always has a minimum staff of three volunteers. Outside of the three on shifts, Smith said others would still be expected to show up to fill in if available, as they already are.
For the complete story, see the April 28 edition of the Elkhorn Independent.
