A special committee is working on finding ways to reverse the current trend of falling numbers of people volunteering as firefighters in Chester County, writes Adam Farence for The Phoenix.

During a recent meeting at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, the group talked about the changes that have been affecting the firefighting community.

The numbers are dropping all around the state, as the estimated number of volunteers in Pennsylvania went down from 300,000 forty years ago to a little over 50,000 in 2016. The drop has been especially steep in recent years, as there are 17 percent fewer volunteers now than there were 15 years ago.

Additionally, the number of scenarios firefighters are expected to respond to has multiplied. There has also been an increase in the training time for new volunteers and added responsibilities, including extensive fundraising efforts, which are starting to turn what was a hobby more into a business.

The retention committee has already started the http://www.helpfightfire.com/ website which contains statistical information, details on volunteering options, and other ways to help.

Read more about the issue in The Phoenix here.