By Alisha Wyman
The Union Democrat
MURPHYS, Calif. — Murphys Fire Protection District volunteer Teresa Henderson has been both a cosmetologist and a firefighter for the past 23 years. Her clients have been understanding when she has to duck out to help a child with shortness of breath or respond to a flue fire.
"It's been a great adventure, and I do my best to carry my end of the canoe," she said. But the number of volunteers like Henderson are diminishing. Tighter requirements, longer training hours, ever diversifying responsibilities of firefighting and the demands of a "real" job have chipped away at volunteer firefighter numbers locally and nationwide.
"Many communities are finding it harder and harder to keep a good core group of volunteers, and they are replacing them with full-time, paid staffing," Murphys Fire Protection District Chief Steve Kovacs said.
Full Story: Fire volunteer numbers declining
