Stepping Up

Imagine the want ad: “Unpaid position. Unpredictable hours. Extensive training required. Your life may be endangered at a moment’s notice. Must be on call 24/7. Your physical condition will be tested.”

Most people wouldn’t get past the first two words.

At a time when the demands of everyday life can be overwhelming, and just living full time in this part of the world is aspirational, it’s no surprise that volunteerism is waning. But as our recent visit to the Suffolk County Fire Academy showed, it’s not dead.

In fact, there are men and women of all different backgrounds and age groups who are attracted to the task of volunteering for, in this case, local fire departments. The training alone is scorching hot, uncomfortable and dangerous, all to prepare them for that moment one day when they could be in a neighbor’s house, ablaze, and leaning on training to both fight the fire and get out safe.

Life in Southampton and East Hampton towns, hamlets and villages used to be a glimpse of small-town bliss, even as real estate values soared and “locals” were bought out by wealthy part-time residents. Today, the balance has tipped, and among the many things endangered is the volunteer fire and ambulance infrastructure that epitomized “neighbors helping neighbors,” a tenet of small-town life.

But rather than bury the generous men and women who are active in our local emergency departments, with cautionary tales of paid services taking their place, let’s marvel that, as demonstrated by that class of “probies” getting hands-on training — which, at the academy, gets the perfectly appropriate acronym HOT — there is an indomitable spirit alive in our local fire and ambulance companies. Their numbers are down but not out — new, younger members are stepping up, tackling the training and committing to true public service. They aren’t being lured by the meager benefits (which, make no mistake, are nowhere near adequate). They are showing character, the kind that makes a true community.

We need more men and women to find the time and energy to volunteer, and that’s a cause for concern. But take a moment to truly appreciate the big-hearted men and women who are quietly stepping up every single day to join the ranks, with no fanfare. As long as we have people with such character, this community will not just survive, it will thrive.