Editorial: VBT commits to full-time fire department crew

They’ve started with just six full-time fire fighters, but this is a big step for Van Buren Township. On Oct. 1, the VBT board voted unanimously to promote six current paid-per-call employees to full time.
Treasurer Sharry Budd remembers when early fire fighters in VBT were volunteers who got paid $1 a year for their service to their community. Then they were paid per hour. Now, there are some who are full time.
It’s an historic step, but felt necessary because of the lack of those willing to work part time in fire service.
On the scanner, we’ve heard the fire calls in the tri-communities where there were not enough fire fighters to respond, so mutual aid from surrounding communities was necessary.
It’ll be a while before we can assess what this means to VBT responses, but it is a solid base.
Sumpter Township was down to the lowest number of paid-per-call fire fighters in many years, but on Tuesday the Sumpter board approved hiring five new paid-per-call fire fighters – three men and two women.
Sumpter Trustee Don LaPorte said, “Our numbers have been down… It’s an awesome thing you’ve signed up for.”
Our communities are to be commended for doing the best they can with what they have to keep their residents and businesses safe.