Local volunteer fire departments have struggled finding new recruits and would like to see you join their ranks. An ongoing study conducted by the Wisconsin Policy Forum suggests that the increase in 9-1-1 calls and the lack of recruits may cause difficulty in keeping departments able to provide adequate coverage for their jurisdictions. Gibraltar Fire Chief Andy Bertges describes how he has seen this issue within his department.

While the time required to become a volunteer may be high, Bertges says that many people who give their time to the department feel a sense of camaraderie and are happy to give back to the community. In a similar fashion Fire Chief Rich Olson from the Southern Door Fire department says he is happy to have a good group of regular volunteers; more people would be beneficial in some areas.