INDIAN LAND, S.C. — South Carolina is in desperate need to fill hundreds of open firefighter positions across the state, but fire departments say they are counting on some changes to help make it happen.
According to the South Carolina Firefighter's Association, a recent survey revealed about 600 firefighter vacancies in the Palmetto State, but that's only based on the 60% of fire services in South Carolina that responded to the survey. There's a chance there could be even more openings closer to 700 or 800.
To successfully fill these positions, leaders in the firefighter industry say they have to intentionally increase recruiting at job fairs and share the narrative of what it truly means to be a public servant.
“The country we live in now is all about me, me, me instead of how can I help my neighbor so we got to get that kind of thought process back so people want to help their neighbor," South Carolina Firefighter's Association President Jamie Caggiano said.
At the Indian Land Fire Department, there's a little more than a dozen paid staff and 15 volunteers, but the chief says they'll always welcome more.
“We always need more volunteers," Indian Land Fire Chief Christopher Miller said. "We always need more firefighters. It’s a never-ending process. We can never have too many."
To help attract more interest, firefighters say they also need more pay.
“We’ve got to get the salary up and work with local and state politicians to get that salary range up so it’s competitive," Caggiano said.
The concern is that all these open positions will put more strain on the current firefighting staff ultimately leading to burnout. Chief Miller adds the role of a firefighter is more than just running into burning buildings, but can include water rescues, EMTs and more.
“We have something for everybody," Chief Miller said. "As long as you have the time we’re willing to teach you what you what to know and get you to where you want to be.”
If you're interested in becoming a firefighter and want to learn more you can sign up for the South Carolina Fire Academy.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.