MORGANTOWN — With volunteer firefighter numbers decreasing nationwide, the West Virginia University Extension Fire Service is playing a critical role in training and retaining current volunteers while preparing the next generation of firefighters.

In West Virginia, 90% of fire departments are staffed entirely by volunteers, a heavy reliance that Mark Lambert, director of the WVU Extension Fire Service, says was born out of necessity. kAm“xE’D 2 >2EE6C @7 E96 CFC2= ?2EFC6 @7 (6DE ':C8:?:2 2?5 E96 >@F?E2:?@FD E6CC2:?[” {2>36CE D2:5] “xE >2J 36 `_ >:=6D 2D E96 4C@H 7=:6D @? 2 >2A[ 3FE :E >2J E2<6 J@F cd >:?FE6D E@ 86E 7C@> A@:?E p E@ A@:?E q :? (6DE ':C8:?:2 3642FD6 J@F 7@==@H E96 C@25D E9C@F89 E96 G2==6JD 2?5 E96 9:==D]”k^Am kAm(9:=6 =2C86C 4:E:6D =:<6 |@C82?E@H? 2?5 r92C=6DE@? 42? A2J 7

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