A grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help Goose Creek Rural Fire Department (GCRFD) find new recruits.
The grant announcement was made in a prepared statement from Berkeley County’s Public Information Office. Goose Creek Rural Fire Department was awarded a $552,258.29 grant for volunteer recruitment and retention. This grant, will be given over the course of four years, beginning Dec. 16, 2019.
GCRFD, is not the only fire department in the county with a shortage of volunteers—the need is critical.
“While this grant will undoubtedly help fill the need for volunteers at our fire department, it will not fix the demand for volunteers at fire stations across our county,” said Chief Robert Maibach. “In nearly 40 years in the fire service, I have never seen a volunteer deficit so great. I hope people will find it in their hearts this holiday season, and all year round, to help their local fire department.”
“Our volunteer fire departments offer an invaluable service for Berkeley County,” Said Johnny Cribb, Berkeley County Supervisor. “This is another example where a volunteer fire department has gone above and beyond to ensure that lives and property are protected in Berkeley County.”
The county said Goose Creek Rural Fire Department was established in 1959 and is comprised of both paid and volunteer firefighters and covers unincorporated areas of Goose Creek.
The district the department serves has grown tremendously over the past several years, and the fire department now serves an estimated 18,500 residents, approximately 5,000 homes, 11 apartment/condominium complexes, five shopping centers/strip malls, a high school, an intermediate school, an elementary school and several industrial facilities.
Chief Maibach encourages anyone in the community with a desire to help to reach out to Goose Creek Rural Fire Department about volunteer opportunities.
The department welcomes any skillset, including vehicle maintenance, information technology, administrative work, building maintenance, and more. For more information, contact Chief Maibach at rmaibach@gcrfd.com
Fire services in unincorporated Berkeley County are delivered through a network of 25 fire departments. These departments are organized as non-profit corporations, which execute contracts with the County to provide services to their respective districts.
