Interim chief: volunteers provide valuable help but cannot replace full‑time staffing
Chief Steckel and others told commissioners volunteer firefighters contribute meaningfully but face training limits and unpredictable availability; the county discussed outreach and business‑support campaigns to bolster volunteer response.
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Interim Fire Chief Braden Steckel acknowledged volunteers were an important part of the response but cautioned they receive far fewer training hours and cannot be forced to respond overnight. "Volunteers, like, even our volunteers can only get 3 to 4 hours of training. My full time guys can get 200 hours a year," Steckel said, noting that a handful of reliable volunteers are invaluable but staffing and truck availability are limiting factors.
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