Distinctly Montana Magazine

The estimated number of firefighters working in the U.S. is 1,148,100. Of that number, 335,950 are career firefighters and 812,150 are volunteers. same across the fire service — paid or volunteer — "I've been amazed the Treasure State's largest cities at least have a broad at how much has to tax base to support professionally paid departments. be known," said Derek Most volunteer departments still augment their budKampfe, 48, a married gets with pancake breakfasts hoping that the latest father of two and new round of federal or state grants might come through volunteer at Fort Ellis to replace that 20-year-old truck. Fire/Rescue outside of As the prevalence of structure fires across the Bozeman. "We need to U.S. has decreased during the past 25 years due to know how to handle better building codes and materials, the number hazardous materials, of calls for fast medical response has been rismedical, accidents, and ing. Many Montana volunteers are cross-trained multiple kinds of fire. I to provide emergency medical services (EMS) as had no idea fire departwell. Rural fire departments may choose not to ments did all of this." transport patients to the Kampfe, who works hospital, but their memin the meat business, bers often are the first previously lived in Red responders to help staLodge and gave back to bilize the situation and the community by servbegin lifesaving care. ing on several boards "We respond to a lot while his boys were still of different things," said small. While he felt the Jeremiah Hillier, 34, work was important, it a captain and 11-year did not have both the veteran of the Gallatin physical and mental Gateway Fire Departchallenges he finds at ment. Hillier, a welder the fire station. by trade, says that "Being a volunteer although the work pulls firefighter is the ultimate team sport," Kampfe said. him away from his two "It allows for specialization but requires great deColumbus fire chief Rich Cowger young daughters, he pendence on each other, all focused on a core set of does it because he would beliefs and values." want someone to be there for them if they needed help. The estimated number of firefighters working in the U.S. is Asking regular people to perform sometimes extraordi1,148,100. Of that number, 335,950 are career firefighters and nary tasks can take its toll. While Montana has a relatively 812,150 are volunteers. low incidence of house fires compared to Chicago or DeAbout three quarters of the 1.15 million firefighters in the troit, it has much higher percentages of trauma from bad U.S. are volunteers. In Montana, however, the percentage is roads, high speed limits and low seatbelt law adherence. much higher. And while many of the duties might be the 84 D I ST I NCT LY M ONTANA • SU M M E R 2013

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