[fidelis]

Membership dues for the VFD in my area are $50 annually. Most residents don’t bother to join. But if there is a fire, the volunteers where I live respond. The downside is that the volunteer fire department is in the red due to non members who still get service. What to do? What to do?

Eventually it will cease to exist because, even though the members might donate their time, it costs a lot of money for the purpose and maintenance of rigs, equipment, training, certifications, and facilities, etc., etc., etc. to keep it going. It ain't cheap and it ain't free.

[fidelis]

purpose = purchase.

[Responsibility2nd]

Eventually it will cease to exist because, even though the members might donate their time, it costs a lot of money for the purpose and maintenance of rigs, equipment, training, certifications, and facilities, etc., etc., etc. to keep it going. It ain't cheap and it ain't free.

 

Ten Thousand Dollars. This is the average cost for my local VFD to outfit and train a volunteer firefighter.

Seventy Thousand Dollars. This is the bargain price we just paid as we found a good used (not used up) tanker truck.

Eighty Thousand Dollars. This is the annual budgeted income.

"Cease to exist"? Could happen. Which would leave over 3,000 residents with no fire department services except from another VFD 30 minutes away that is even broker and is badly managed.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Membership dues for the VFD in my area are $50 annually. Most residents don’t bother to join. But if there is a fire, the volunteers where I live respond. The downside is that the volunteer fire department is in the red due to non members who still get service. What to do? What to do?

Eventually it will cease to exist because, even though the members might donate their time, it costs a lot of money for the purpose and maintenance of rigs, equipment, training, certifications, and facilities, etc., etc., etc. to keep it going. It ain't cheap and it ain't free.

A corollary of Thomas Sowell's contention that the true minimum wage is zero.