Published: July 30, 2008 10:05 pm         

Fireworks for firefighters

Two ideas that can attract and retain volunteers

West Virginia lawmakers are poised to closely examine two ideas that could solve one of our state’s toughest challenges — attracting and retaining volunteer firefighters.

One proposal suggests legalizing stronger fireworks and imposing a 10 percent safety fee that would underwrite a pension fund for West Virginia’s volunteer firefighters, providing the departments an incentive to attract fresh recruits and retain them.

The other suggests counties create paid fire departments.

One thing is certain, the plight of VFDs is genuine and needs to be addressed. The current economy has made it necessary for volunteer firefighters to prioritize paid jobs — often more than one. Additionally, workers’ compensation premiums have become a concern, and rising fuel costs continue to strain budgets.

And, let’s face it, the newest generation of would-be volunteer firefighters is distracted by leisure opportunities that didn’t exist a generation ago. They have other things they’d rather be doing.

As far as fireworks are concerned, it is already evident that many state residents are purchasing certain types of fireworks from Ohio or South Carolina and setting them off in West Virginia, where they aren’t legal. Proponents have estimated West Virginia could witness some $12.6 million in fireworks sales, which could translate into some $1.26 million that could be applied to a firefighters’ pension account. That’s certainly incentive.

Those who question the proposal have cited safety concerns. But in the proposed legislation, no one under 16 could buy fireworks. Anyone under 18 would be required to wear some type of eye protection, such as goggles folks strap on while using weed-eaters. And, in every type of fireworks sold, a safety brochure for the proper use of handling must be included.

The paid county department proposal is controversial for its own reasons. Those who question the proposal have cited the possible loss of tax-exempt status. And some have suggested it’s just not something volunteer units would welcome.

At this point, lawmakers are simply exploring both possibilities, and we would encourage them to continue doing so. The one thing we all can agree on for now is that volunteer units are facing tough times. They provide an invaluable service to our state. In fact, West Virginia has only 11 paid fire departments; the remaining 424 departments are composed of volunteers.

They deserve some attention, and we applaud our Legislature for giving it to them.