Firefighter shortage lingering issue for Effingham County

On any given day, firefighters in Effingham County can respond to multiple calls, some of which require nearly two dozen men and women to help put out the blaze. But a shortage of firemen within the county could put that response time in jeopardy. With eight openings, Effingham Fire Captain Hannah Jenkins hopes to get those positions filled quickly.

“We have found that most fire departments across the state are not getting applications,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins thinks the shortage began after the economic collapse in 2008. That, coupled with an influx of newcomers who are unfamiliar with the shortage, has crippled their numbers even more.

“We saw a large percentage of our volunteers go away at that time simply because they had to work more or they had to move with whatever industry they worked with,” said Jenkins. “Now perhaps they came from an area where there is a full-time fire department. Then they get here and they just think it's already in place and they don't think about it. It's one of those things that is just there. People just expect that to be a service that's provided and they don't think about everything that goes into it.”

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According to Jenkins, the shortage is also attributed to growth at the Georgia Port Authority and other industries. Better pay and career opportunities are pulling some of the best employees out of the fire station.

“We've seen a lot of people leave the fire service to go work at the port,” said Jenkins. “That’s pulling a lot of the candidates that might apply with us or any public safety for that matter.”

Effingham County added a new fire station in Guyton and hope to move in next month.
Effingham County added a new fire station in Guyton and hope to move in next month.

Weather conditions play a huge role in how they tend to a fire. More bodies are needed in warmer temperatures to prevent dehydration.

“When it's freezing or when we are in the middle of the summer and it's 100 degrees outside, it takes a harder toll on the body,” said Jenkins. “Our firefighters have to come out, rest and rehydrate before they can go back in, so it takes even more firefighters when we're under much harsher conditions.”

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Jenkins said they assist EMT’s responding to medical calls and that need will grow as industrial properties in the county continue to pop up.

“We have grown significantly in that area,” said Jenkins. “We are going to have more firefighters out there to respond to not just the fires, but for those who do not have a fire, but maybe a medical emergency. To be able to help citizens, we have to be manned in those stations.”

Jenkins said the shortage spans across other counties too. In Effingham County, they work together, pulling resources from each other when needed to ensure no call goes without a response.

“We all as a public safety effort work together and will back each other up,” said Jenkins. “But the problem becomes that the hiring issue is not just an Effingham problem. Bryan and Chatham County are feeling the effects of it too. It's public safety across the board. So, we're hurting.”

Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Firefighter shortage lingering issue for Effingham County GA