Volunteer fire dept staffing

[S1720G 62]

I noticed the lake George convention is going on right now. At a time when volunteer fire departments seem to have an issue with staffing on a good day, does anyone find that having a great deal of the active membership several hours away negatively effect public safety ? What are some of the things your departments do during events like this (or other parades...) to alleviate staffing issues ? 

[newsbuff 286]

 

This is brought up EVERY parade season.  The answers never change, and neither does the inadequate level of response.

Edited June 17, 2017 by newsbuff

[FFPCogs 863]

It has been my experience that many departments, well at least the proactive ones, leave personnel behind to staff the firehouse when attending parades or other times a good number of members will be out of town. In fact in some cases staffing actually increases at these times as those left behind are committed to responding or better yet staffing the firehouse. Now if only VFDs would get on the bandwagon and staff their firehouses regularly the instances of inadequate responses could be dramatically reduced.

[201/65 94]

City of Newburgh put on additional staff and apparatus over the weekend. I would assume partially because they were on automatic response to some border departments, and they have been burned in the past with locals not being able to crew on Spring Break Weekend. 

[BFD1054 1,552]

It's funny, some VFDs are better "staffed" and more adequately covered when they are OUT of town...