CORNERSVILLE, Tenn. — The entire Cornersville Volunteer Fire Department has resigned, according to a letter from former Fire Chief Matt Fox.
In a Nov. 6 notice, Fox announced his immediate departure and said all department members chose to step down with him, WTVF reported.
“I am tired of the constant struggle to provide the citizens of the Town of Cornersville with any form of adequate fire protection,” Fox wrote. “Cornersville, being my current hometown and where I grew up, this pains me more than you can imagine, but I simply cannot do it any longer. The amount of money I have spent out of my own pocket, the amount of time at my home doing administrative duties because we do not have an office space, and the amount of records I have stored at my home because of the lack of a secured space have taken a toll on myself and my family to the point where it is best we all step away.”
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Fox said persistent hurdles since he took over in August 2019, including administrative burdens, limited resources and lack of support, led to the move. He pledged to return all equipment, uniforms, and records to City Hall by next week. He also said he will notify the State of Tennessee and the Fire Training Academy of the leadership change.
The South Marshall Volunteer Fire Department said it remains a separate agency and will continue operating for the foreseeable future. County Commissioner Craig Blackwell characterized the resignations as a wake-up call, noting that unpaid volunteer responders need greater support.
What is your view? Is a mass resignation the best way to get the attention of officials and citizens to support the fire service?
FireRescue1 readers respond:
- They volunteered to serve their community fighting fires, performing rescues. They didn’t volunteer to become unpaid, involuntary servants raising money, maintaining equipment and buildings, buying things out of their own pockets. The municipal governments are taking advantage of the volunteers.
- Sometimes there is no alternative. Elected officials must recognize their duty to protect the public. Negotiations must prevail with the public involved. Put personalities aside when it comes to life safety.
- Absolutely! How many crap sandwiches are firefighters supposed to eat to serve their communities? If community leaders and members don’t support, then wait until one of their houses catches fire, THEN they’ll cry about not having adequate protection. Good on the Chief and his firefighters that supported him!
- I would hope that it would not come to that, but seeing the list the chief put out. Yeah, I can see where after 5 years that he along with the rest felt that they were not supported. Right now the priority should be to help that community come up with an immediate plan to get service to that community. Sad days ahead for that town.
- I’m also part of a volunteer fire department (captain) and we have zero support or funding. Every town in our county is partially funded by the county. We do raffles and sell T-shirts for almost all of our funding. All of us top people are getting burned out and nobody cares. Until the mayor’s house burns down or something else major happens. I’ll never resign, especially if everyone else does, because I know why we do what we do. We’re not paid at all, but we’re here for our neighbors. Sad this department must have been way deeper than we are yet. But I get it, we only live onc,e and the time it takes volunteering takes a toll.
- From one who has stepped down and tried to lead a normal life, only to be haunted by the “what if’s” — what if a friend needed help, or a child was in danger? What if no one responded and there was a loss of life? I don’t know if I could live with the guilt. To those who have been beaten down to the point of walking away, remember that as a first responder, you can positively affect numerous innocent lives each day. That is something the worst of the worst can never take away from you. God bless.
- Not surprised, more departments across the country are not following suit. With continuing requirements of what they have to meet. The cost of these requirements is way out of hand; communities cannot afford to meet a lot of them. Volunteers are getting hard to find, because of all the requirements to do the job. Not enough hours in the day for many who have to provide for their families. Not to mention the ME first thoughts of people today.
- Sometimes a move like this is exactly what it takes. There are so many roles required to efficiently run a fire department, and more so with a volunteer fire department due to staffing shortages, limited funding and other limited resources. Being from a small town also in TN, I would assume there is a handful of City council members or county commissioners there who are blocking the necessary funding asked for by the fire department. If that is the case, these individuals should be named so that the citizens of the town are aware for the next vote. I also believe that “we”, as a fire service, have failed our municipal leadership by not bringing them in for specific training. Does your city/county mayor go through NIMS training as the fire department does? They should, because they will eventually be part of a unified command. As well as your city/county recorder, finance administrator and all council members or commissioners. What about ISO training? How can your city/county leaders fully understand the fire department’s role in lowering an ISO rating if they have never been to the training seminars? Fire departments are constantly training on a plethora of subjects and skills in order to better themselves and the communities they serve, but what about the county and community leaders who are the final decision makers? Just because we tell them we need things does t mean they fully understand the necessity of the items and equipment we request. I feel we should do our best to not only train and educate our fire department personnel, but we as a fire service should also offer training for our county and municipal leaders.
- Get used to this. This is a growing response nationwide. Small towns and municipalities ask a lot from volunteers, as do NFPA and ISO. Recruitment and retention are a whole other ball of wax. Keeping trained, knowledgeable volunteers is hard enough, but without concrete support from the municipal government, it is impossible. Many volunteers eat the shortfalls of the municipality and buy their own gear and equipment, pay for their own training to keep a sharp edge. Those of us who do this are typically the last ones standing as others stop volunteering. The burden of calls, maintenance and training falls on our shoulders, and that burden grows steadily. Many of us are 50+ and near what would be the terminus of our paid career, but in the volunteer world, there’s no one coming up behind us. So, not only is there the stress of shouldering the burden, the stress of perceived obligation to the community also weighs heavy on the mind. That, “If not me, then who?” becomes a mantra to many of us when the tones hit at 2 a.m. Our local governments need to understand this.
- In this day and age, volunteers are needed more than ever. Although, without community, local, county and state government support, who would want to do the job? The amount of training that needs to be accomplished, the equipment, safety gear, etc, are not to be taken lightly. The stupid part is, that until someone who is in an elected position dies, or the community suffers a major fire loss, attitudes won’t change. So, I agree that if you are pushed to the breaking point, you have to do what is constantly taught and stressed to anyone who is a first responder, your own safety is more important.
- Being a 50-year volunteer, I understand their problems. It is a thankless job,and without the support of local officials, an impossible one. My dept is fortunate, being in New York State, we have an elected board of Fire Commissioners. They set a budget annually, and it’s added on to the town tax. We still do fundraisers for miscellaneous equipment, etc. But we also have a great relationship with our local officials, which makes life easier. I hope the officials in their area wake up and smell the coffee. You can’t survive without emergency services.
- As chief of a small town in Pa. with an ALL volunteer fire department, I understand the frustration the chief as well as the other volunteers face on a daily basis. I don’t know the other side to this story, so know that we ALL suffer the same ways. Loss of volunteers, financial setbacks and rising cost and training requirements. Have they been in talks with their municipalities about the institution of a fire tax to help with dwindling funds? I personally know his feelings. I, too, have spent countless dollars on fire department purchases out of my own pocket, and the struggle of not having an office is stressful, but it can’t be the only factor that makes you walk away from years of dedication. I have wanted to walk away soooo many times. Frustration is incredible and should be shared with your municipalities and maybe a better answer can he found. Maybe even consolidate with a neighboring dept? There are many avenues to take, but the ones who really hurt in this are the general public who have come to depend on you and others like you to answer in their worst moments. Please reconsider, and know there are others who depend on your special training and services.
- In some cases, it is similar to a union going on strike / in a volunteer-staffed department when the elected officials show little or no respect for the volunteer staffing component. The pay for a volunteer firefighter is as simple as a “thank you.” It is not always about a plaque or money; a sincere expression of gratitude can be very valuable to the receiver.
- I have almost 50 years in fire service, starting as a volunteer (Jr.) at 16, career at 21, still volunteering in my small town. It was like the fire department, or one of them was home. I had a supportive wife. I put in full-time hours in both, and still had to beg the city for everything we got. If they said no, we earned the money. The town just thinks it’s a hobby! I love fire and EMS, but until someone needs you, they think you’re in the way. I miss it, but sleep well!
- Volunteered for a few different small towns back home in N.Y. Same sort of thing, and the community is the one that suffers! State leadership needs to take a larger and longer look at things to make it right. Hopefully, they do it in a respectful manner! I’m with you, brother and sister, fellow firefighters! Stand strong as a unit, leadership outside the fire service will start taking notice!
- Yes, we do need help! I’m a volunteer firefighter in Sutton, WV. It costs me money every time I respond to a call. It costs money for gas to get to the station or pov, when I’m late for work, either I’m on a call or came in from a call and overslept. My gear is old, our trucks are old and keep breaking down. I’ll risk my life, to save a stranger. Yet, there are no health insurance, and always required to have schooling and more training (The same as a paid firefighter, but no benefits). Requirements are too much, that’s why we have such a problem with recruiting people. I love being a firefighter, but getting tired; our hours are 24/7, with no benefits.
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