The Conrad Volunteer Fire Department hosted its 91st annual Fireman’s Appreciation and Fundraiser on Friday, November 29, 2024, featuring a tour of the fire hall and showing off equipment purchased from previous fundraisers.
Members of the community and even other volunteer firefighters from nearby departments donated to the Conrad Fire Department, and purchased raffle tickets for a variety of donated items.
Using money from previous fundraisers, the fire department was able to buy safety equipment including portable heat detectors, flashlights, CO2 detectors.
Money also supports their smoke detector fund, which allows the fire department to install smoke detectors in nearby homes for free.
Another reason for the event is to bring the community together to appreciate the work of the volunteer firefighters.
Fire Chief for the Conrad City and Pondera County Rural Fire Departments Kevin Moritz says, “They volunteer a lot of time. People don't even know when we're out at three in the morning, or two in the morning, on a car wreck, they would have no idea. We may be out there ‘till six or seven in the morning, and then we go to our jobs."
Even with around forty volunteer firefighters, Moritz says the closing of small businesses in town is taking away volunteers, stating, “When you lose those businesses, you lose volunteers. So, our tire shop is closed, and different places have closed and all of them had firemen. They have retired, but there's no business to work for to grab another guy."
Moritz is also the president of the Montana Volunteer Firefighters Association, and says they are currently working on passing legislation to protect volunteer firefighters, which will also hopefully keep up retention.
One issue they are working on is increasing the pension for volunteer firefighters. Another is protecting volunteer firefighters from retaliation from their jobs if they are late or miss work due to being at a fire.
Moritz explains, “Some departments in the bigger towns were having a little bit of a problem when their volunteers were out on a fire. If they didn't get to work, they could get fired or laid off. We’re trying not to lose the volunteers, so we’re trying to do something to back them."
Despite these challenges some departments are facing, the Conrad Fire Department is still bringing on new volunteers, like Trae Pruttis, who joined less than a year ago.
Pruttis says, “I really want to be on as long as possible. I mean, it's so much fun and it's so rewarding just to help out people in the community that you know, every day."
Part of the funds raised this year will go towards safety equipment and upgrades to the firehouse. To learn more about the Conrad Volunteer Fire Department, click here.
