Support our local fire department

By Steve Estes

Many of us from Summerland Key to Big Pine Key opened our mailboxes this week to find the annual donation letter from the Big Pine Volunteer Fire Department.

They are asking for our financial help, as they do every year, so they may be there when we need them.

Big Pine Fire, or Station 13 to our county dispatch crew, moved into a new facility late last year.

It is as state-of-the-art as we could make it on the limited dollars available to a county as small as Monroe.

But the money for all of that, as well as the trucks and rescue vehicles, comes from tax dollars paid by property owner in the Florida Keys.

Our volunteers get what they need from us—the people they serve.

It costs a lot of money, in addition to time and work, to recruit, train and retain qualified volunteer firefighters.

Every man or woman who puts on the uniform, paid or volunteer, has to be outfitted for their safety and trained how to do the job, trained to federal standards. We don’t want them making mistakes for lack of training when they respond to our house, and they don’t want mistakes either, for mistakes cost lives and property.

It is saving lives and property these selfless volunteers have as their top priority.

The geographical coverage zone for Big Pine Fire is the largest in Monroe County, encompassing more than 4,000 homes, hundreds of businesses and more than 10,000 residents.

While Big Pine Fire has a minimal paid staff, it is the volunteers that complete the crews, and the volunteers that make up the manpower necessary to save property and lives.

In addition, Big Pine Fire also has more geographic responsibility for fighting brush and wildfire than any other Monroe County station, sitting as it does on the outskirts of the National Key Deer Refuge and the Great White Heron Refuge.

No matter the time or location, Big Pine Fire has an excellent record in responding to those in need between Summerland and Big Pine. It also serves as a back up unit for Sugarloaf, Cudjoe, Big Coppitt and Marathon.

We ask a lot of our volunteer fire department personnel.

And now they are asking a little bit from us.

You will have received a pre-addressed, pre-printed donation card from the fire department in the last few days, or very soon if not yet.

You only need write a check for the amount you wish to donate, place the card and the check in the envelope, put a stamp on the envelope and return the entire thing to the mailbox where your letter carrier will get it where it needs to go.

The money is used to pay for training and equipment for our volunteer fire force, training and equipment they may someday use to rescue you, your property, or the life or property of someone close to you.

The donation card doesn’t ask for huge amounts. You can send as little as $25.

And if you feel like that’s too much, the firefighters will appreciate any amount you can send in the envelope.

Just don’t ignore the plea, because they don’t ignore us.

Dig deep and let’s collectively show our volunteers what they mean to our community.

And while you’re at it, if you see one of our selfless volunteers around town or hanging out at the station waiting to come to your rescue if need be, stop and say hello.

And maybe thank you.