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Volunteer fire/ems donation stops

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This is something that has bugged me since I moved to NJ.  Seems like every holiday there is some volunteer FD or EMS setup on busy roads/intersections panhandling for donations.  I am a big supporter of the volunteers and I am all for their fundraising, but this just seems really dangerous, not to mention a huge waste of time and gas.  I spent over ten minutes in traffic on Route 70 in Lakehurst yesterday (from the Eisenhower circle to the Orchard street traffic light.)  I am thinking there must be an accident.  Then I get to the Lakehurst volunteer FD standing in the middle of Route 70 collecting money.  No signs or anything until maybe 100 yards away, where they had a big sign and some cones.  I have never seen this in any other state, can't imagine it is legal, and it seems really dangerous.  Especially with all the senior citizens in this area.

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Depending on the road, they may require a permit to operate on it, and are expected to function in ANSI compliant reflective equipment however it's perfectly legal in that aspect. Due to the economy, donations are way down for a majority of organizations that rely on fundraisers, volunteer emergency services included.

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I understand there are underfunding issues.  And I hesitated to even post this because I support the volunteer squads, but I just don't think this is a really good way to collect donations; but apparently it is effective otherwise you would not see it so much.

 

I much prefer when they do an open house with demonstrations and outreach information and community involvement.  But I guess that only brings the people in the community, and probably not a large percentage will even come to these.

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When I was a volunteer, we had a stretch of road adjacent to a sport stadium that we would use during sporting events. It's quite effective for donation purposes, however it creates a traffic nightmare. There are regulations that if followed prevent people from being in the road when the light is green, etc.

 

I agree that the community outreach/open house is a great feature, however you are correct that it limits you mainly to your community where your fundraising efforts are already targeted.

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My department did a couple of them, as long as you get the permits, were ANSI gear and post signs up X feet away from your location its good to go.  Is it dangerous? Standing in the road way at times is, but for 2 or 3 hours of standing their you can make some decent coin.  Plus it gives out of towners who usually wouldn't donate a chance to.

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Boot drives are a necessary evil. They help raise money for equipment and/or training. Without this source of income to purchase say equipment (scba, ppe, extrication tools, thermal imaging cameras, etc) its very possible that someones life could hang in the balance.

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Been here most of my life, accustomed to seeing it, usually at a traffic light with a tarp in the median, when the light goes red volunteers can do a walkabout to get the paper donations

When I was a kid in Old Bridge it was almost like a game, stop at the light and try to toss coins in the buckets

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i am all for the volunteer departments, i had a lot of close friends in one. they do it for free, bottom line.

 

on the flip side, with taxes as high as they are in this state the government should be embarrassed that their volunteer departments have to do this to get by. just another example of our great great state of NJ...

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i am all for the volunteer departments, i had a lot of close friends in one. they do it for free, bottom line.

 

on the flip side, with taxes as high as they are in this state the government should be embarrassed that their volunteer departments have to do this to get by. just another example of our great great state of NJ...

Yes.  I know taxes are high, but I would gladly pay a bit more to fund these essential services.  If they were fully funded they could spend this time on training or community outreach.  I agree that it is pretty bad that these people volunteer their time and are willing to put their lives on the line, then the state says "oh yeah, thanks for the sacrifice, but umm you are going to need to raise your own funding as well."

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Alot of the volunteer services are not funded by taxes, they are self supported. If it means standing in the road for a few hours to get some donations, they will. I have alot of fundraisers at my firehouse, but this isn't one. The towns that do have a fire tax don't like it when there taxes go up.

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Yes. I know taxes are high, but I would gladly pay a bit more to fund these essential services. If they were fully funded they could spend this time on training or community outreach. I agree that it is pretty bad that these people volunteer their time and are willing to put their lives on the line, then the state says "oh yeah, thanks for the sacrifice, but umm you are going to need to raise your own funding as well."

Just to add a little... It takes an awful lot of money to operate a fire/ems department.. Even without salary/benefits (though that is a huge portion of paid dept budgets). If they're not tax-based then they have to do it themselves. That's a LOT of hoagies, bingo, or boots to fill. Going tax-funded at least lets the guys focus on what's important: training and responses.

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I donate to my local services when they do that.  I am lucky enough to have %100 volunteer services and the townships are ripping their budgets up.  If they fail as volunteers then the next option is paid services.  Thats costs over 6 times what volunteer does and will come out of my taxes for sure.  So, necessary evil is the category I put them in.  When they have fund drives that cause a traffic catastrophe i am a little less giving.  I think that is inappropriate. They used to do that on 72 going to LBI but did finally stop and replace it with a drive by coin toss.  I dont know if its still that way or not, its been a long time since I have gone down that way.

Ken

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I was stuck in the same traffic jam you were. I was on my way back to work from a job site I have no problem giving $5 but if it Friday on Labor Day weekend I won't bother. If it is a random Friday/Saturday night in the summer no problem.

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i am all for the volunteer departments, i had a lot of close friends in one. they do it for free, bottom line.

 

on the flip side, with taxes as high as they are in this state the government should be embarrassed that their volunteer departments have to do this to get by. just another example of our great great state of NJ...

Look at it this way.  For the volunteer departments, they wind up having to beg for donations to support their desire to help the community for free.  To my way of thinking it's not the towns that should be embarrassed, it's the folks who don't donate...

 

Bottom line, we call 911 they come, no questions asked.  They don't ask if you donated, what town you're from, etc.  If I ever need them I damn sure hope they have whatever is needed to help my sorry butt.  I'll pony up anytime I see them, and I make sure I send a check before they have to ask for it.

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Yes.  I know taxes are high, but I would gladly pay a bit more to fund these essential services.  If they were fully funded they could spend this time on training or community outreach.  I agree that it is pretty bad that these people volunteer their time and are willing to put their lives on the line, then the state says "oh yeah, thanks for the sacrifice, but umm you are going to need to raise your own funding as well."

can't, too many other bs priorities that townships are straddled with due to legislative requirements and such

 

I agree with the OP here

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Major fire in Burlington County, drowning recovery in National Park, drowning recovery operations in Pennsville/Salem - a good part of the resources that support the guys out there committing their holiday weekend to helping others in need - just try to think about that....makes in easy to drop a fiver in the boot. (And Thank You to those of you that do).

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We do this in my town a few times a year. The money isn't used for anything firematic, for us it's all company level. New uniforms, stuff like that. All our fire equipment is purchased by the town or through grants, although Im not sure how other towns do it. Legality is also a local issue, I know our old PD chief would not allow them.

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I don't think people stuck at a DUI checkpoint are in a giving mood...

The ones that don't want to get pulled to the side of the road would probably toss in cash, watches, jewelery, and hell probably even wedding bands. You could then auction the stuff off so they have a chance to get it back. Proceeds go to local fire/ems/pba. :p

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