My husband and I had been volunteer firefighters and EMT's for 25 plus years in a very rural community in House, New Mexico.   At present my husband is a firefighter (he only re-joined this year as the fire department was falling apart and new firefighters were not getting the training they needed and someone was going to get seriously injured or killed) but elected to let his EMT-B license go.  I am still an EMT-I but am not currently running due to health problems.  I am in my late 50's and my husband in early 60's.  We retired 2 years ago and the ambulance has only taken up space in a bay as citizens are not willing to step-up to the plate.  It is a 2002 AEV Type III with a LP12 on board and many other wonderful pieces of equipment.  The local council and mayor (my husband) is very, very supportive of EMS in our community.  (Although our fire chief at present doesn't have a grip as he is still hung up in the 1950's and he is only in his 40's.  A stumbling block you call them - non-progressive!)  98% of our 911 calls were, guess what?  EMS- NOT FIRE!  I just get so frustrated that the community expects someone else to pick up the ball, but of course, not themselves.  Where is volunteerism?  Is it a forgotten, much needed thing of the past?  Please, we need more people to be willing to get involved in their communities as volunteers are the life-blood of ALL communities, especially smaller ones such as the one we live in!

Rebecca M Martin