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BY CAROLINE FRISBY, STAFF WRITER

Editor’s note: The full transcript of the volunteer firefighter shortage video by Caroline Frisby is provided below. 

At the Public Safety Headquarters in Fairfax County, the Volunteer Fire Commision is facing a shortage of volunteer firefighters, along with other stations nationwide.

Commision Chairman and Fire Chief of Dunn Loring Fire Department Shawn Stokes, explains that in Fairfax, “the minimum level of service, which is very high, is covered by that career staff, so if volunteers don’t show up, that service still gets provided.” 

The fire service in Fairfax County used to be run by all volunteers; however, in 1949, all departments were run by career firefighters, while volunteers served as support. With the extra support, firefighters can provide better service to the community. 

The shortage of people volunteering stem from issues with recruitment and retention.

William Richmond, a volunteer firefighter EMT and the volunteer chief at Annandale Fire

Department, says that good leadership helps the fire department operate effectively, but the fluctuation of volunteers continues to be a roadblock for progress.

“Sometimes it depends on the economy. A lot of it is just personal dynamics…” said Richmond. 

Other people in the fire service believe that volunteers are leaving because the process has 

changed. “When I joined, you could be a firefighter EMT in six months,” Watkins Gray, volunteer firefighter at Franconia Station 5, said. “Now everything takes almost two years.” 

“People have busier lives, so it’s hard to commit that kind of time,” Gray added. 

John Gutsmiedl, a training officer at Centerville Fire Department, says that fire departments are having difficulty retaining young people. “A lot of people get started and then move on as other priorities come up in their life.”

To address recruitment and retention problems, fire departments have created programs to improve their leadership training and how the departments are managed. 

According to Gray, Fairfax County offers a retirement-based program where volunteers can earn a certain monthly stipend for working a certain number of hours. Additionally, the county offers free EMT Training. Richmond suggests increasing awareness of the fire service. 

“You need to tell the community what it is you do. You need to make it clear that if you lose your volunteer department in a very small community, then the response times will not be very good because they’ll have to respond from another town, Richmond said.” 

“It’s a question of what kind of community do you want to live in. You want to have a community where people help each other out,” Richmond said. 

BY CAROLINE FRISBY, STAFF WRITER

Editor’s note: This video was submitted for a class assignment prior to submission to Fourth Estate. The use of the term “GMU News” is not representative of Fourth Estate or any Mason related networks with a similar name.

Caroline Frisby: 12099 Government Center Parkway is home to the Public Safety Headquarters in Fairfax County. Here, the Volunteer Fire Commission faces challenges regarding the shortage of volunteer firefighters across the United States. The chairman of this commission, Shawn Stokes, explains that Fairfax is not like other places where…

Stokes: “…volunteers don’t show up, the fire truck does not go out the door. In Fairfax County, the minimum level of service, which is very high, is covered by that career staff, so if volunteers don’t show up, that service still gets provided.” 

Frisby: The situation in Fairfax is one of a kind. As of 1949, all departments are run by career firefighters, but volunteers are there to support the system. Additional units placed in service allow the fire service to be more robust and better serve the needs of the community. Nevertheless, Fairfax County is still facing challenges. Watkins Gray believes that volunteers are leaving because the training process has changed. When he joined, he became a firefighter EMT within six months.

Gray: “Now the process takes almost two years to do everything, so that’s part of the drawback of joining now. People have busier lives, so it’s hard to commit that kind of time.” 

Frisby: Others, like William Richmond, acknowledge that the flow of volunteers will fluctuate. 

Richmond: “I’m not sure why that is. Sometimes it has to do with the economy. A lot of it is just personal dynamics.” 

Frisby: However, if there is good leadership, fire departments will run strong. That’s why Fairfax County has created programs to improve their leadership training and how the departments are managed. The county also offers financial benefits, such as a retirement-based program and free EMT training for volunteers. Even so, the future of the fire department rests on community involvement. To William Richmond…

Richmond: “It’s a question of what kind of community do you want to live in. You want to have a community where people will help each other out.” 

Frisby: At the end of the day, true heroes do not wear capes. Instead, they can be found at your local fire station, wearing helmets and carrying fire hoses. I’m Caroline Frisby, reporting for GMU News. 

Fourth Estate/Viviana Smith

BY VIVIANA SMITH, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Instagram account “gmu4palestine” posted a statement addressing “the Interim Suspension of SJP at Mason and Targeting of Student Organizers.”

The statement follows the recent suspension of a formerly registered student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Mason, after a raid occurred in the home of two Mason students identified as leaders of the organization.

According to the statement by “gmu4palestine,” “On Nov. 7, a raid was conducted at the off-campus residence of two SJP student leaders by a large contingent of Fairfax County and GMU police officers. They were told the search was related to property damage incidents at the Fairfax campus.

The next day, on Nov. 8, one of the targeted students received an email notifying them of SJP’s suspension. However, due to the seizure of their electronic devices during the raid, they did not receive the notice until days later.”

On Dec. 4, Fourth Estate requested information from the Fairfax County department relating to the “property damage incidents”; however, in accordance with Va. Code 2.2-3706.1(D), those records are unavailable at this time. 

The 3-page statement, signed by 16 Mason student organizations, addresses the Mason administration directly, claiming the suspension of SJP is an infringement on free speech and student-led activism. “When student organizations like SJP are denied the ability to meet, advertise, or mobilize their peers, the fundamental right to engage in social movements is stripped away,” the statement reads. 

On Nov. 8, one of the two student officers whose home had been raided received an email of the organization’s suspension; however, their electronics were confiscated, preventing both from notifying other members. “Alarmingly, neither the SJP faculty advisor nor other members of the organization were informed of the suspension,” the statement reads. “This lack of transparency and communication undermines the integrity of the process and the students’ rights to be fully informed.”

According to Mason’s RSO and university policies and guidelines, violations of university policies and procedures result in offending student groups entering a “formalized resolution process” through the Student Involvement office or the Office of Student Conduct by referral. 

The resolution process includes, “notification of alleged violations and meeting date, meeting with RSO Lead Team members or a full-time Student Involvement staff member [and] email summarizing meeting and required next steps or referral to the Office of Student Conduct.” The penalty for student organizations found in violation of these guidelines range from a warning to a referral to the Student Conduct office. 

According to the Code of Student Conduct (CSC), “the University, at its discretion, may pursue disciplinary action against a student or student organization while the student or student organization is also subject to criminal proceedings, even if such criminal charges are pending, reduced, or dismissed.” Additionally, the CSC states that a student or student organization will receive conduct correspondence via email. 

The Fourth Estate contacted Mason Student Involvement to inquire if any other group members had received notice but has yet to hear back. 

In addition to the statement made by “gmu4palestine,” the official Instagram account for the Cuesta-McAulay administration released a statement in opposition to the suspension. “We affirm our support of the right to expression and due process as SJP faces unjust, ungrounded interim suspension,” the statement reads. “As elected representatives of the George Mason student body, the Cuesta-Mcaulay administration works to ensure that the diverse voices of our peers are not stifled…”

This is a developing story. Fourth Estate intends to provide updates as the story progresses.