NEAPOLIS, Ohio — The Providence Township Fire Department in western Lucas County is facing a major obstacle: staffing.
"There is a lot of staffing issues and getting people to step up and serve their community more than you expect a normal person to," said department captain Chad Eickholt.
The department is a volunteer group, made up entirely of part-time and per-call workers.
But with only 26 staff members, having enough staff to go on calls can sometimes be a challenge.
"Ideally we need at least three individuals on a fire engine to go to a fire. On most days, we're cutting that with two people and heavily relying on mutual aid to help us help our citizens," said Eickholt.
Eickholt says volunteers are paid on a per call basis and part-time staff is paid per hour.
Eickholt himself is a volunteer member, while also working a full-time job. The department serves just over 3500 citizens in the Providence Township and Neapolis area.
Eickholt says calls aren't getting any easier either. The department has seen an increase in calls each of the last four years, from 312 in 2018, to 358 in 2021..
"It's definitely something that sticks in my mind. Every day is maintaining staffing that's adequate for our citizens so they are not underserved," said Eickholt.
So how do volunteer departments in rural areas solve their staffing issues? Eickholt says groups could switch to a full-time staffing model.
"A lot of departments will have to go to a staffing model to backfill the issue of the lack of individuals that want to be a firefighter or EMT," said Eickholt.
During a time when calls are increasing, departments like Providence Townships are doing everything they can to serve their community.
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