Benton FD grows, looks for more volunteers

BENTON, Mo. — Coming off of a year with a record number of calls, the Benton Fire Department is looking to expand its crew of firefighters.

“We are growing our department and trying to add some people,” Benton Fire Chief Joey Mack said. “This time of year is our busiest, and so we’re just trying to add some people and make it more efficient.”

An open house is planned for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9 at the Benton Fire Department, 21 W. North St. in Benton. The event will provide an opportunity to pick up an application or answer any questions individuals may have about being a volunteer for the department, Mack said. It’s also a time where families can bring their children to see the station and fire trucks, he said.

In 2021, the Benton Fire Department had 157 calls for service in 2021 — a record number of calls for the department, Mack said. There were two fire structures, two vehicle fires, two fire alarms, two other fire calls, two motor vehicle accidents, 118 medical assists, 16 service calls, 6 good intent calls, six hazardous/fuel spills and one severe weather call.

“For the citizens of Benton, that’s quite a year,” Mack said.

Benton residents can utilize the fire department by calling 911, and the call is routed to 911 centers where they can pinpoint the location and alert Benton FD volunteers by pagers, Mack said.

Currently, Benton FD has 18 volunteers which include both men and women, and Mack would like to add at least 10 more.

“That’s a pretty good number, and everyone can’t always make it to a call, so the more volunteers, the better,” Mack said.

Nationwide statistics show that about one-third of a volunteer fire department’s members show up for a call; however, Benton FD’s is higher than the national trend, Mack said.

“We always have 50% to 75% show up, and we have had everyone show up before, depending on the time of day. Where we struggle is with daytime help. Many of us have 8 to 5 jobs, and it’s hard to get off for a fire,” he said.

There aren’t many requirements to be a volunteer, Mack said. However, volunteers should be at least 18 years old.

“I don’t think you can be too old to be a part of it,” Mack said. “The jobs are different. It’s not just fire fighters. There are driver and operators as much as those helping with safety. We have someone who stands there to make sure the roof isn’t sagging or popping. We even need someone to pass out bottles of water.”

The department also responds to medical calls, Mack said, adding over half of all the departments annual calls are medically-related.

There’s also equipment upkeep, station upkeep, Facebook/public relations for the department, providing standby at the annual Benton Neighbor Days and directing traffic for the Neighbor Day and Christmas parades. They also test hydrants and quarterly trainings, Mack said.

When an individual applies to be a volunteer for the fire department, they must complete a background check, drug test and physical, Mack said.

“Other than that, we accept anybody who would entertain the idea of helping out,” he said.

And volunteers do not have to be Benton residents, Mack said. Half of Benton FD’s volunteers live in Benton and others just slightly out of town, he said, noting there are mileage restrictions.

There are also benefits to volunteering, Mack said.

“The people who come and help are volunteers, but we can help further their careers,” Mack said. “They can use the experience and training as a start for a career going forward, such as a full-time employee of a fire department or EMT. They help us, and we help them.”

Volunteers have the opportunity to receive certification through trainings, which several of Benton’s fire fighters have done, Mack said.

Volunteers also receive pay per call, the fire chief said.

“It’s a way for some people to make some extra money,” he said. “We pay for trainings and any calls you might go to. It’s kind of like gas money, and that stuff is expensive these days. We all know that. It’s also a way to say thank you for helping us out in someones time of need.”

The Benton Fire Department has also recently received grants to help purchase new gear — which can cost $3,000 to $4,000 per person — and training for its firefighters, Mack said.

Mack noted a recent grant which provided 95% of funding for a new fire truck that cost $400,000.

“The department’s other fire truck is nice and immaculate with only 5,000 miles on it, but it was made in 1983, and the technology is better today. The newer truck is also bigger,” he said.

The department also received a grant to purchase air packs, and the grant paid for 90% of the purchase, he said.

Mack, who has worked a full-time job in communications for 25 years in addition to volunteering with the fire department, puts in at least 10 or 20 hours a week at the fire department, which is strictly volunteer. He has volunteered with the fire department since he was 15 years old.

“I couldn’t drive and rode my bicycle to the station,” recalled Mack, who is 44 now.

When he was from 18 to 33 years old, Mack said he started racing cars regionally. He was always a volunteer, but racing took up a lot of his free time.

“Then I got out of racing, and I was home more and gradually got back into about six years ago,” Mack recalled.

It was then when he was also asked to be the fire chief, and a lot has changed over the years, he noted.

“We went from having four or six people and four or six calls a year, and we got some training and added medical calls to our response. We started getting grants and were able to add people over the years,” Mack said.

The Benton FD has also improved its ISO fire rating, also referred to as a fire score or Public Protection Classification. The ISO fire rating is a score from one to 10 that indicates how well-protected a community is by the fire department. The lower the score, the better.

“We were a 7 rating and threatening to go to a 10, which basically means there is no fire department,” Mack said. “I took over, and we did some training to keep it at 7 and eventually got the rating down to 6. We’re waiting to do a new evaluation and it should go down to a 5.”

Mack said the improved rating is due to work by everyone in the department and city.

“The Benton City Council has done a lot of work, and they put a big emphasis on the fire department and is behind it 100% and really interested in making it the best it can be,” Mack said.

The fire department is also a part of the Benton Chamber of Commerce, he noted.

The department also participates in the Red Cross’s smoke detector program and gives smoke detectors to community members. At least one smoke detector should be placed on each level of a home and in the hallway by a bedroom, Mack said.

“It’s been a slow process for sure – to know where we came from and where we are today,” Mack said. “It’s been an amazing journey.”

The volunteers of Benton FD consider themselves a family and are close, Mack said.

In working to recruit firefighters, Mack has used the following slogan, which he said the department holds dear: “Be a part of the tradition. Be a party of the family. Be a part of the community.”

“Those are three very important words to us: tradition, family and community,” Mack said. “We want to help anyone who needs help — not just in the city but our community. We are one, big family.”

For more information, contact Benton City Hall at (573) 545-3558.