Volunteer fire departments struggled through pandemic

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Roadblocks and legal issues made it difficult for Volunteers to get through COVID-19.

Members from the Kentucky firefighter association spoke at An Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee.

One member says volunteer departments were hit especially hard.

Most volunteer fire departments depend on fundraising, but the pandemic made that impossible.

The association says the government needs to make federal funding more accessible.

“Fire departments don’t have attornies they don’t have people that are adept at filling those things out. It made it really difficult. Fire departments applied for funds but they just couldn’t get through the paperwork.” Said John Botsch, president of the Kentucky Firefighter’s association.

They also say the pandemic kept them from teaching fire prevention to communities for a year making the possibilities of fires in homes more likely.