Statewide volunteer firefighter and EMT open houses

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The entire gem state needs more volunteer firefighters and EMTs. That's why fire stations across Idaho are having open houses Saturday, March 15. Local News 8 visited one of them.

Open house visitors got a glimpse at the training volunteer firefighters and EMTs go through—from practicing what it would be like to move a 200-pound person to putting on firefighting gear that can weigh around 70 pounds.

The Idaho Fire Chiefs Association hopes to recruit much-needed volunteers throughout this campaign. They say seven out of ten firefighters and EMTs in Idaho are volunteers, and "many small towns and rural areas wouldn’t have the fire and emergency medical services they need" without them.

More information on becoming a volunteer firefighter or EMT can be found here.