PLYMOUTH, Ohio — Plymouth’s Volunteer Fire Department is currently seeking additional firefighters, and finding volunteers is tough, noted Plymouth Fire Chief Richard Metzger.
“It’s hard to get them to volunteer,” he said, explaining that the 40-hour training program could take up to a month to complete.
Metzger noted that, in addition to the initial training, “There are requirements now on how much training you need to keep your certificates, and you have to have 54 hours of training every three years.”
Metzger said he would like to have a total of 26 or 27 firefighters in the department, and Metzger prefers they are trained in both firefighting and Emergency Medical Service (EMS). Of the 22 firefighters currently serving the Plymouth fire department, 17 are trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), and two are in training.
He said he would prefer to have volunteers live close to the fire department, but that it is not mandatory. The fire department covers a 35 square mile radius, including Plymouth village, the township, and parts of Shelby. The department receives mutual aid from the Mutual Aid Box Alert System (MABAS), but is still low on manpower.
The Plymouth Volunteer Fire Department is funded through tax dollars generated within the township, and responds to approximately 300 calls per year, said Metzger. The firefighters are paid on a per call basis.
“It’s sporadic; we might have five calls in one day, and then none for the next five days,” said Metzger.
Metzger is a seasoned firefighter. He has been with the Plymouth department since 1994 and became fire chief in 2009. In 2002, he started working as a full-time firefighter for Springfield Township Fire Department.
For information, or to apply, call 419-687-5101.
