The November issue of FIRE CHIEF magazine, with more than 60 fire station designs in the Station Style section, is proving once again to be a popular issue. If reader response is any indication, the trend in volunteer departments adding full-time personnel -- becoming what's known as "combination" departments -- certainly appears to be on the rise.

The fire chief in New Brunswick, Canada, wrote about the new fire station in the final stages of construction that he wants to enter in our 2005 Station Style Awards. But he has a problem with our station categories: career and volunteer.

"Our only issue is that we are neither a volunteer NOR a career station but a composite organization. The building was designed with the needs of both the career on-duty and volunteer on-call personnel in mind," the chief wrote.

I like that word -- composite -- describing a mix of career and volunteer firefighters. It conjures an image of one product made up of a variety of materials. The people that make up a fire department are often volunteer, paid-on-call, full-time and senior and junior firefighters, each contributing in different ways.

Automobiles today are made up of composite materials that are stronger and more moldable but half the weight of older cars.

Either way, we are looking at adding a new category -- or two -- to the 2005 Station Style Awards.

Speaking of combination departments, Chief Mike Chiaramonte of Lynbrook, N.Y., a Volunteer Voice Columnist for FIRE CHIEF, forwarded a posting from the IAFC's Volunteer and Combination Chief Officer Web site from a deputy chief in Missouri:

"I am a deputy chief with a combination fire department in Missouri and volunteer retention is a serious problem within our organization. I would like to be put in contact with a few other chief officers (nationwide) who have proven to be successful in running and maintaining an effective combination department. It does appear to me that several combination departments out east (i.e., Maryland) seem to manage high call volumes quite well with mostly having a volunteer roster. I am completely open to any ideas and suggestions that successful chief officers may have to offer me and my organization...."

Since this is such a common problem among volunteer and combination departments, Chief Chiaramonte is interested in ideas from combination fire chiefs and officers across North America. Please contact him via e-mail to LynbrookFD@aol.com. Either send him your tips for running a successful combination department OR send him your address and let him ask YOU questions! Mike plans to base a future column for FIRE CHIEF on this input.

Meanwhile....Buckle up!

Janet Wilmoth, Editor

P.S. Several names have been added to our holiday mail call for Firefighters, Soldiers at War. Check it out!