For the first time in several years, the Carroll Fire Department is back to a full roster of firefighters. Fire Chief Dan Hannasch says it is a good feeling to know that close to three dozen Carroll residents are ready to assist at a moment’s notice.
Hannasch adds most volunteer fire departments had waiting lists for volunteers 10 or 20 years ago. However, the pace of life has picked up, and people often feel they are too busy to make such a commitment.
Hannasch adds that is the case for many volunteer first-responder agencies, such as fire departments or emergency medical services, in communities in the area. While that trend seems to be reversing, Hannasch encourages anybody interested in volunteering to speak with a first responder they know to learn more about the process.
In the Carroll Fire Department’s case, close to two dozen firefighters respond to each call. Hannasch says that being a volunteer-driven agency means some people are unavailable when a call comes in, but the expectation is that they respond when they can.
