SALTILLO, Miss. (WTVA) – Those willing to suit up in turnout gear and save lives are being sought.

The Saltillo Fire Department posted on Facebook in search of new members for their team.

“If you’re willing to serve your community, we’re willing to have you,” said Chambliss Howell, the Volunteer Captain for the Saltillo Fire Department.

The department wants more firefighters to be able to respond when a call is made.

“This is not a paid position,” Capt. Howell said. “We have six paid people here at the department. There are only two on shift every day. If a structure fire or something happens in the city, they depend on the volunteers to show up to assist them. We train. We meet here at Saltillo two times a month. Other departments may do things a little bit differently. We meet. We train. We just want everybody to be as prepared as possible for the calls that may come out.”

The goal is to add two or three members who are 18 years old or older.

Capt. Howell said the more the merrier, though.

“From here in Saltillo across the United States, we need volunteers because volunteers make up 67 percent of all firefighters across the US,” she said.

With them making up that 67 percent, there is still a national shortage.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that since 2008, they saw volunteer fire departments nationwide lose an average of 12,000 firefighters per year.

The NFPA said the numbers from 2008 went from 827,000 members to 635,000 in 2023, with 2023 being the last year available in their reports.

Even though there is a shortage, Capt. Howell said emergencies do not stop.

“Sometimes we have two or three calls come in at the same time,” she said. “The full-time guys here on staff may be here answering something for the city, and something comes out in the county. We need as many people to respond so we can take care of it and handle it properly.”

Those interested in being a volunteer can contact Capt. Howell at 662-202-6662 or by email at [email protected] .