Saginaw Volunteer Fire Department needs more volunteers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - More businesses are opening in Saginaw and more houses are being built, which means more area to cover for its volunteer fire department.

Saginaw is in an unincorporated area of Shelby County, which means people who live here don’t have a funded fire service.

The Saginaw Fire Department is completely volunteer and they’re looking for more people to help out.

Fire Chief Jonathan Hensley said, “our guys they live in the community so its them helping their neighbors. We call it neighbors helping neighbors.”

In the last two years, the fire department has grown from 10 firefighters to 30 but they are looking for more.

“With growth and more firefighters coming in we would be able to open up the avenue for possibly 24-hour staffing,” Hensley said, “Daytime hours have a very huge impact on volunteer departments. We do need more people during the daytime hours.”

Right now, they cover 1100 rooftops which is about one firefighter per 100 houses.

The closest fire department is Alabaster Engine 13, which is on standby in case of emergency but...

“If we are not here that would force them to have to cover our area, that pulls an engine company or a fire truck out of the city of Alabaster or Columbiana which would not only impact our area with slower response time,” Hensley said. “That would also impact their area, taking needed resources away from them.”

80 percent of their calls are EMS related, instead of structural fires.

They see more of brush and wild land fires. However, they would like to expand and grow in other specialties to help provide for the community.

Donations help keep their trucks on the road and the fire department up and running.

To volunteer, you have to be 18 years old or older. Visit the department’s website to volunteer.

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