Volunteer Firefighters Strapped
By: Alisa Hail
Updated: January 23, 2009
Lt. Greg Coettsch made an appearance in the KTAB studio to discuss the severity of the current fire in Jones county, as well as the difficulty firemen have while fighting grass fires.
16 men on Goettsch's team, making 8 units, were dispatched to the fire which erupted near Hawley today.
Goettsch points out that while his teams are equipped to fight the fire, they are not quite as equipped as some of the volunteer organization.
However, even these organizations are are strapped due to lack of needed volunteers and a very hectic fire season. Many of the firefighters rushing to Jones County to help the contain the massive fire, are Volunteers. On fires, like this one, they have to stretch their already limited resources, even more.
To help support the volunteers go to the Big Country Volunteer Firefighters website, http://www.bcffa.net/.
Goettsch mentions that part of the difficulty of fighting the Hawley fire is clogged access due to on-lookers.
The terrain near the fire is also a major factor in upping the difficulty.
Goettsch states that the safest thing for residents in the path of the fire to so is evacuate.
