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With National Fire Prevention Week recently being observed, Franklin County Fire Chief Chuck Stines is reminding residents to take another look at how important supporting local fire departments is to ensuring safety.

“The stronger the community supports their fire department, the stronger their fire department will be,” Stines said, summing up his outlook.

He is encouraging residents to get to know their firefighters and ask them questions that would be important in helping them improve their operations.

Stines said the fire-fighting approach in Franklin County is unique because it is not under a county government-owned system.

He explained that Cowan, Decherd, Estill Springs and Winchester have municipally-owned fire departments, and Franklin County contracts with them and 11 other community-based volunteer fire departments to provide fire protection throughout the county.

Stines said each fire department receives about $45,000 annually, up from $25,000 in 2016. Although there’s an increase, the actual financial scenario is much different, he added.

“That seems to be a large increase in the budget, but you have to think in practical terms — $45,000 to cover all expenses, insurance, equipment, and maintenance is quite small,” Stines said. “Fire trucks cost anywhere from $180,000 to over $500,000. To properly equip a single fireman, it can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. The rural departments rely on community fundraising to help offset these costs.”

Stines said all but the Winchester and Decherd fire departments rely solely on volunteers to operate, and proper training is paramount to ensure personnel are prepared to properly perform their jobs. However, he said some of the training requirements place hardships on volunteers, making it more difficult to attract and retain them.

“I wholeheartedly believe training is essential in every aspect. However, over the last several years, we have seen state-mandated requirements that have moved from a more in-house-based training model to outside non-departmental-specific training,” he said. “We are asking men and women to possibly sacrifice their lives and time away from their families to help protect our communities, but requirements continue to stack on them.

“Don’t get me wrong. I want the best qualified and trained people we can get, but knowing your department and its operations can only be achieved through on-the-job and in-house training makes it difficult.

“The fire service is not immune to the challenges that we are seeing in the private sector of needing workers. Firefighting is not easy. It is strenuous work both mentally and physically.

“In closing, is the fire system in Franklin County ideal? Probably not, but I am proud of all the departments in Franklin County and the men and women that make them.”

Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871. On the 40th anniversary in 1911, the Fire Marshals Association of North America, the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association, sponsored the first National Fire Prevention Day.

The move was made to observe the anniversary as a way to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention.