When the news came a little more than a month ago that the Violetville Volunteer Fire Department was on a short list of Baltimore County volunteer fire departments that could be recommended for closure or mergers, Capt. William Swann wasn't surprised.
Instead of resigning himself and his fire company to that fate, though, he and his fellow Violetville firefighters decided to participate in the Maryland's first-ever statewide recruitment day, organized by the Maryland State Firemen's Association.
"I think that was sort of a rude awakening," Swann said.
Violetville teamed with the Lansdowne Volunteer Fire Department on April 12 in a recruitment open house. Similar events were held by the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department and the English Consul Volunteer Fire Department.
Although turnout was low, many were encouraged by the participation they did see.
All but the Arbutus company were mentioned in the study last month released by the Baltimore County Volunteer Firemen's Association. The recommendations made in the report, which was conducted by a third-party consultant, do not have to be enacted, but the mention enough was to make some department personnel nervous.
Across the state, volunteer fire companies are in trouble, said Joe Chornock, chairman of the state firemen's association's recruitment and retention committee.
By having volunteer fire companies hold open houses on the same day, he said, the committee hoped to raise awareness.
"Recruitment is a local issue," he said. But "we're trying to let people know that volunteers are needed."
Of 370 volunteer departments across the state, he said, 170 were expected to participate. Of those participating, he added, some were traditionally strong recruiters and others were smaller companies being considered for changes.
"Some of those departments that were [tentatively] slated to close were the first departments to jump on the bandwagon," he said. "They realized that they're being looked at now."
For Swann at Violetville, the day was a success. Even though just one application was turned in at Violetville and Lansdowne among about 20 vistors, he was happy his members were able to relax and socialize with another local department.
"It's at the point now where we have to help each other to survive," he said.
At English Consul, which was named in a merger recommendation by the study, the event felt more like a birthday party than a recruitment drive for a department that could be in vital need. Because the station operates a junior program for ages 5 through 15, the station was filled with kids touring the fire engines and eating popcorn handed out to visitors by department volunteers.
At the end of the day, organizers tallied 10 senior company applications received and five junior program applicants. Department estimates put the potential volunteer attendance at about 75 or 100, many of whom were full families.
Ben Will made the trip from Columbia to check out the firehouse and submit an application.
"It's something to do in my spare time," said Will, who has a friend in the department who told him about the opportunity.
The family feel of the department attracted him to English Consul, he said, adding that the drive is "definitely worth it." He plans to be an emergency medical technician.
Membership has been low at English Consul, said Frank March, the department chief. Part of the problem, he said, is the amount of time volunteers must put in before being able to fully participate on calls. Often, recruits must spend nearly four months in training before they can start responding.
"They don't really realize what being a volunteer is," March said. "We do it because we want to help the community."
Even at the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department, the largest department in the Arbutus area that participated, attendance was low. Though the station usually brings in about three to five new members each month, officials collected just one new application and met seven prospective volunteers.
Getting recruits isn't the problem at Arbutus, said Stephen Hardesty, senior first lieutenant. Retaining recruits is.
"The days of someone walking in the door and you giving them a coat and a helmet and telling them to get on a truck are long gone," he said.
He estimated that the average volunteer must spend hundreds of hours training. "It's tough on a lot of people," he said.
Time constraints also make volunteering in the department difficult, Hardesty said. People working two jobs to make ends meet while raising children don't have time to volunteer. Adding to the problem, he added, is a lack of interest among young people in volunteering their time at the department.
At Violetville, Lansdowne resident Stephanie Imbragulio was disappointed by the turnout but prepared to commit to the department.
"It's something that I wanted to do as a kid," said Justin Thomsen, a Baltimore Highlands resident who said his best friend's dad was a firefighter when he was growing up. "I was raised around it."