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ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA – Tuesday May
24 at the request of David Williams Volunteer Chief Joe Combs provided a
presentation to the St. Simons Island Rotary Club about the volunteer division
of the Glynn County Fire Department. In his presentation chief combs, touched
on the topics history, activities, and duties/responsibilities of volunteers, as
well as the training, and the volunteer contribution to Glynn County. The
presentation concluded with a question and answer session.
In the presentation, Chief Combs gave
an introduction about how he became involved as a volunteer firefighter. Chief
Combs provided some brief history of the Department in Glynn County and more
specifically the role that the volunteers have had over the years. Combs stated
that Department started on St. Simons Island and consisted of 3 career personnel
and the balance was made up of volunteers. It was in 1964 that the mainland’s
Ballard Fire Department was formed and subsequently the Glynn County Fire
Department. There are approximately 45 volunteers on the roster countywide. Of
these approximately 60 percent are in attendance at training / business
meetings, and incidents.
It was obvious that the members of
the Rotary Club began to respect the commitment and dedication that is necessary
to be an active volunteer. They also recognized that it’s the ability to put
the needs of others before those of yourself that makes an organization such as
any volunteer fire department successful. Combs continued by saying that,
“While being a firefighter has its risks, it can be and is an extremely
rewarding and gratifying service that has the ability to promote a sense of team
and comradely that cannot be achieved elsewhere.”
In his presentation, Combs mentioned
a very special group of volunteers within the department that provide water,
refreshments and other rehabilitation services for firefighters and emergency
personnel when on emergency calls. “This group, though they do not actively
fight fire, is extremely valuable by providing coolers stocked with ice water
and sport drinks to assist in making sure everyone stays healthy on the scene.”
They often arrive shortly after the dispatch is made to the incident.
Of interest to the many taxpayers in
the room was the information delivered about the savings, which the citizens of
Glynn County enjoy because of the volunteers. “Because of Glynn County’s
volunteer firefighters, Glynn County enjoys a reduction in necessary career
personnel which saves nearly $700,000.00 a year in base salaries alone per
active volunteer,” Combs said.
Combs concluded by encouraging
potential volunteers to attend meetings on Tuesday’s at 7:00 p.m. at one of the
Glynn County’s Fire Stations.
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