Tattered flag reveals gap in volunteerism
A tattered flag, flown over the Mission Valley Volunteer Fire Department, angered one resident. The holes in the flag, though, reveal gaps in the number of volunteers.
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How to help
To help your volunteer fire department, contact Victoria County Fire Chief Ron Pray at 361-579-9103, or e-mail a volunteer fire chief listed below.
Fordtran
Larry C. Green
Greenjeans_21@yahoo.com
Inez
Rusty Knezek
rbknezek@hotmail.com
Lone Tree
...- SHOW ALL »
How to help
To help your volunteer fire department, contact Victoria County Fire Chief Ron Pray at 361-579-9103, or e-mail a volunteer fire chief listed below.
Fordtran
Larry C. Green
Greenjeans_21@yahoo.com
Inez
Rusty Knezek
rbknezek@hotmail.com
Lone Tree
Richard Garcia
RichardGarcia@ftpc.fpcusa.com
Mission Valley
Danny Fisher, no e-mail
Contact: Kat McDonough, suetx@ccwip.net
Nursery
Mike Kelly
mfkelly@aep.com
Placedo
Louis Faltesek
faltel-l@tisd.net
Quail Creek
Ron Kramer
kramerconstruction@yahoo.com
Raisin
Wesley Schmidt
wschmidt@ccwip.net
Telferner
Dave Garza
dgjr1338@yahoo.com
Bloomington
Sheila Kahanek
sjkahanek@yahoo.com
DaCosta
Scott Townsend
sgt_townsend@yahoo.com
One woman's concern about a tattered U.S. flag raised attention to another problem filled with gaps: volunteerism.
During one of the worst droughts in Victoria County's history, volunteer fire departments battle the always-present shortage of help.
This might explain why one angry reader, upset about an overlooked task, wrote to us last week.
"I am so ashamed to admit to anyone that I live in the Mission Valley area," the reader wrote. "I have to see blatant disrespect for the American flag - torn and tattered, ripped and hanging in the wind. Where? At the Mission Valley Volunteer Fire Department. The flag has proved it deserves a lot more respect than what it is getting right now."
Hours after her concern was published on the Advocate's Viewpoints page, a new flag flew over the volunteer station.
Danny Fisher, the six-year volunteer fire chief, read the concern. He bought and raised the new flag. He said someone was assigned to replace the flag, but the task was overlooked.
"It won't happen again," Fisher said. "You have to remember, we're a volunteer organization, and your reader or anyone else is welcome to drop by and put a flag up. That is the community's fire department. We don't have enough volunteers to do all the work needed to be done."
The number of volunteer firefighters in the United States declined by more than 8 percent since 1984, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. Challenges in retaining volunteers remain present in Victoria County, fire chiefs say.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency cites several reasons for this decline, including:
Greater time demands in a hectic modern society.
A drop in the sense of civic responsibility.
Population shifts from smaller towns to urban centers.
Ron Pray, the Victoria County fire marshal, coordinates efforts among the county's 11 volunteer fire departments.
"These guys give up time from their families, from work and church to volunteer," Pray said. "They'll stop whatever they're doing, sometimes when it hurts their own business, to help their communities. We're all patriotic Americans, and we don't want to disrespect the flag. Just remember: You'll never find a volunteer fire department that says we don't need more volunteers."
While no data exists to track the number of active county volunteers over time at the 11 stations, Pray said numbers fluctuate.
While the down economy affected donations, Pray does not blame the recession for a lull in volunteerism.
"It's like a roller coaster," he said. "Sometimes you get a bunch of volunteers, and sometimes you don't."
Fisher said his station has 12 volunteers.
"We need 25 to 30 just to keep up," he said. "We need volunteers for all kinds of things."
Those uninterested in fighting fires can:
Repair trucks and fix mechanical problems.
Mow the grass and maintain the grounds.
Help raise money and perform accounting work.
"We need help checking the tires on the truck, keeping the stations clean and changing flags," Fisher said. "The people in Mission Valley support us well with money, dues and donations. We just need a bigger backbone of volunteers."
While you can debate whether Fisher and his crew were irresponsible for flying a tattered flag, you can't argue these volunteers donate their time and skills to protect you.
So far this year, the county's 11 volunteer fire stations responded to 1,006 fire and EMS calls. The concerned reader responded in kind to the new flag.
"Although I think it was a shame that it came down to this, I cannot complain any longer," the reader wrote. "At least the American flag now flies proudly once more over Mission Valley."
Have a question for Watchdog? E-mail watchdog@vicad.com, or call Advocate Public Service Editor Gabe Semenza at 361-580-6519. No topic is off-limits.
Comments
Everyone should go to this site and learn the proper etiquette for the flag.
usflag.org/flagetiquette.html
September 2, 2009 at 5:09 p.m.I agree with the post saying "Instead of complaining about the flag's condition, why doesn't someone in Mission Valley show a little pride and appreciation for these firefighters' volunteerism and drop off a new flag at the station?"
September 2, 2009 at 3:11 p.m.These folks are doing their best and could use help wherever they can find it..
Stop throwing rocks and do the right thing...
I fly my flag every day.
Many people are just unaware. I was unaware that they needed volunteers to do that stuff. My dad was flying an American flag that was tattered. I told him it was disrespectful and he honestly did not know that. He also kept it up because he had no idea what to do with it. I told him burning is the respectable method for disposing of a flag. He now has a new one flying. Let's help people out rather than yell and blame. You never know what they don't know.
September 2, 2009 at 2:39 p.m.I have seen flags like this before and usually it just takes a little pointing it out to get it fixed. With this non profit someone should have stepped up though and gotten them one, I have before to others.
Usually I have to go up to people and tell them to TURN YOUR TEXAS FLAG AROUND. White is on top. Remember peace over war, blood is heavier than water, or whatever it takes for you to remember it.
September 2, 2009 at 2:33 p.m.North Carolina is the other way around.
Instead of complaining about the flag's condition, why doesn't someone in Mission Valley show a little pride and appreciation for these firefighters' volunteerism and drop off a new flag at the station? It would be a small price to pay for their selfless work. Please be a little more thoughtful and less judgemental.
September 2, 2009 at 12:43 p.m.I am thankful for the job that these people do, however overlooking something as simple yet so important, makes me wonder about the organization. I know that somebody was supposed to do it and that nobody did it but someone should had done it. I would rather not see a flag than to see a tattered flag.
September 2, 2009 at 12:12 p.m."I am so ashamed to admit to anyone that I live in the Mission Valley area"
September 1, 2009 at 10:01 p.m..
Well, volunteer your ashamed ...