The numbers of Floridians who volunteer at all is less than any other state. That’s according to an Americorps study on trends in volunteerism and civic life. Before Covid, in 2017, it was 22.8 percent, the least of any state. In 2021, it was 15.9 percent – again, less than any other state.
But we still have some.
“…and whereas Joseph is the first to volunteer for almost every special assignment and runs more calls than 95 percent of other volunteer members. And whereas Joseph cares about the team at Bradfordville Fire Rescue and often calls just to check on his fellow volunteer firefighters..."
That’s Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch reading a proclamation in honor of Joseph Simmons, Florida's volunteer firefighter of the year. He’s a Leon resident who works at the Bradfordville and Lake Jackson volunteer fire stations.
But despite Simmons’ example, the drop in volunteerism has also affected Florida’s volunteer firefighters. In Leon County, volunteers supplement the county’s emergency medical services and the Tallahassee Fire Department.
Edgardo Grajales directs the volunteer firefighting services for the Florida State Firefighter Association. He says before Covid, the state had 291 volunteer fire stations. Now it’s below 270. Interest has dropped, Grajales says, and volunteers can’t always get time off from their paying jobs.
“They have to work more than one job now. And it’s hard to, ‘Hey, can I get some of your time to assist on this?’ Sometimes they can, sometimes they cannot," says Grajales.
That’s a problem because stations staffed by volunteers can be as far as 45 minutes away from stations staffed by professional firefighters.
In Leon County, six volunteer fire stations provide fire and medical first response services within the unincorporated areas under agreements with the county.
