Stefanie Tannery was working as a paramedic when her interest was sparked for another side of the safety spectrum — firefighting.
After passing the physical agility test, undergoing training and receiving her certification, Tannery was prepared to fight fires.
While she’s waiting to be the first respondent at a blazing structure fire, Tannery enjoys the technical rescues: saving fallen hikers from ravines or rescuing reckless drivers from frozen streams.
She and 47 other volunteer firefighters on the Golden Fire Department wear pagers and respond to calls whenever possible. The department is looking to grow its volunteer staff, but to do so it must implement a shift schedule.
Tannery serves on the department’s Strategic Planning Committee, which is tackling the idea.
The department wants to add 25 volunteers and have each sign up for a given number of 12-hour shifts per month.
“We have to have at least 70 to 80 people to go toward a shift schedule,” said Firefighter Aaron Giesick, also on the planning committee.
“Once we figure out what works best for us, we’ll present it to the volunteer membership,” Tannery said.
“It’s in our best interest to find something everybody agrees on,” Giesick said.
At least four firefighters will work each shift.
“You’ll always have available firefighters and always people there to respond, depending on the call,” chief John Bales said.
The average firefighter responds to about 30 calls per month, putting in 40 to 50 hours, Bales said. That number will remain about the same if shift schedules are employed.
“They’ll still have plenty of personal time and time for the fire department,” Bales said.
Volunteer firefighters respond from their homes and would continue to do so until the main fire station is renovated as part of the city’s shops project. The new crew quarters, which include a kitchen and dorms, won’t be completed for at least a year, Bales said.
While firefighters often hang around the station, there’s no place for them to rest, Tannery said.
Between calls during their shifts, firefighters could check equipment, help with community inspections, and take training sessions, Giesick said.
They might also visit schools or senior living facilities for safety lessons.
A shift schedule would make it easier for firefighters to plan their lives, Tannery said.
“It’d be easier to make plans. I wouldn’t feel guilty about going out of the city or having a beverage on a Friday night,” she said.
A firefighter for two years, Tannery plans to continue her commitment to the department for years to come.
“We are the people in this community who are trained to respond to the events,” Tannery said. “If the tables were turned, I would surely hope that the people who were trained would respond.”