By Joelyn Hansen
The Idaho Falls Post Register
RIGBY, Idaho — Volunteer firefighters receive almost no pay and work under very dangerous conditions, so why do they do it?
And why are so many of them doing it in Jefferson County’s Central Fire District, which has a waiting list for potential volunteers?
Brian Owens of Rigby, in his sixth year as a volunteer, has an answer for the “why do they do it” question. He admits he’s an “adrenaline junkie.”
“It’s that adrenaline (you experience) when running into danger when everyone else is running out,” he said. “I really like helping people as a firefighter.”
That’s not the only reason he volunteers, but it certainly plays a big part, he said.
Central Fire District Chief Jim Deuel said he’s fortunate there are 74 volunteers like Owens willing to keep the district’s four fire stations located in Rigby, Lewisville, Menan and Ririe staffed at adequate levels.
In fact, the district has a waiting list of about 20 people wanting to become volunteers. Deuel adds that the department experiences little turnover.
“It’s an amazing group of people,” Deuel said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t marvel at their commitment. It isn’t about dollars and cents (for volunteers), it’s about having the desire to help.”
Deuel said he’d love to take on more volunteers, but the district’s budget and its call volumes don’t allow it to add any additional people, although exceptions are made for volunteers who are free during normal business hours.
Rigby’s Battalion Leader Carl Anderson said the department has a good reputation within the community, and he feels that volunteers naturally gravitate to it of a variety of reasons.
When Rigby resident Jason Miller’s wife and 9-month-old baby were in a rollover accident nearly seven years ago, volunteers came to the rescue. The experience left a lasting impression on Miller as he watched them assist his family.
Three months later, Miller, who works in Melaleuca’s marketing department, said he found himself signing up as a volunteer. He said he was fortunate to get on when he did.
Nic White, who’s been volunteering for 14 years, got started because his brother and father were volunteer firefighters. Now, being a firefighter has become a part of who he is.
“It was in my blood, I wanted to do it and stuck with it and am still doing it,” he said.
While most volunteers aren’t planning to make firefighting a full-time career, there are those who use it as a stepping stone, Anderson said. The department has had a few volunteers go on to full-time positions in both Idaho Falls and Idaho National Laboratory.
Rigby resident Ben Doman started volunteering two years ago with the goal of landing a full-time firefighting position.
For him, it’s the best of both worlds as he gets the training and a chance to dabble in firefighting.
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