"We get the call, we're going to be there," the unwavering commitment of volunteer firefighters

"We get the call, we're going to be there," the unwavering commitment of volunteer firefighters

"We get the call, we're going to be there," the unwavering commitment of volunteer firefighters

STICKING TO SOCIALDISTANCING.THE SPIRIT OFBUFFALO STRONG ISALIVE AND WELL INOUR FIRSTRESPONDERS --PARTICULARLY THEVOLUNTEERS.GILAT MELAMEDSPOKE TO SOMEVOLUNTEERFIREFIGHTERS WHOWILL NOT LET THESECHALLENGING TIMESCHANGE THEIRCOMMITMENT TOPUBLIC SERVICE.AN UNWAVERINGCOMMITMENT TOPROTECTING YOU."WE SIGNED THEDOTTED LINE."FROM MEN ANDWOMEN WHO ARE."100% VOLUNTEER.""WE'RE 100%VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER FIREDEPARTMENTSACROSS WESTERNNEW YORK ARESHARING MESSAGESLIKE THIS ONFACEBOOK LETTINGTHE COMMUNITYKNOW THECORONAVIRUS IS NOTCHANGING THEIRWORK.WHY?"I LOVE WHAT I DO, ILOVE HELPING MYCOMMUNITY, NOMATTER WHAT, SO IT'SNOT REALLY A JOB ORCAREER IT'SSOMETHING I LOVE TODO."THE SAME GOES FORBOWMANSVILLE CHIEFTHOMAS TRZEPACZHE'S BEEN WITH THEDEPARTMENT FORMORE THAN TWODECADES."WE MEET PEOPLEPOTENTIALLY ON THEWORST DAY OF THEIRLIVES WITHEVERYTHING GOING ONWE STILL GOTTACONTINUE OURSERVICE WE'VEDEFINITELY CHANGED ALOT OF THINGS BUT WESTILL GOT ACOMMITMENT TO THERESIDENTS OF THETOWNS OF LANCASTERAND BOWMANSVILLETO PROTECT THEM ANDRESPOND."IN FACT-- MOREPEOPLE AREANSWERING THE CALL."WE HAVE A LOT OFPEOPLE OUT OF WORKRIGHT NOW, A LOT OFPEOPLE OFF, ANDWE'VE ACTUALLY SEENAN INCREASE IN THEAMOUNT OF PEOPLECOMING DOWN TOANSWER ALARMS ANDHELP US OUT."SOME NEWPRECAUTIONSINCLUDE LESS STAFFIN A TRUCK,SANITIZING THEMAFTER EVERY ALARM,AND LIMITING ACCESSTO THE INSIDE OF THEFIREHOUSE.UCREST ASST FIRECHIEF JOSEPH DAHMSAYS THAT'S BEEN THETOUGHEST CHANGEFOR HIM."WHEN YOU GO ON ACALL, YOU COME BACK,WE'RE LIKE A BIGFAMILY WE WANT TOJOKE AROUND WITHEACH OTHER WE WANTTO HAVE FUN NOWAFTER THE CALL ISOVER WE'RE GOINGRIGHT HOME WE GETBACK THE TRUCK AREIN ORDER WE'REGONE."U-CREST SAYS IT'SLOOKING FORDONATIONS OFSANITIZER, GLOVES,AND WIPES.BOTH CHIEFS SAYTHERE'S ANOTHERSIMPLE WAY YOU CANHELP THEM."STAY HOME IF YOUCAN""THE BIGGEST THING ISSTAY INSIDE."BECAUSE IF THEY'RENOT HEALTHY, THEY'T HELP YOU."WE GED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.