The West Roane County Volunteer Fire Department is launching their Spring appeal. Please consider a generous tax-deductible donation by mail to WRCVFD, P.O. Box 417, Rockwood, TN 37854, or online at WestRoane.com ((link...)).

Our neighbors in this all-volunteer IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit not only fight our fires but also provide our emergency medical services. Last year they went out on 269 calls, including 150 EMT/medical calls, and on 28 mutual aid calls helping other fire departments.

That's about one call every 32 hours. This is in addition to training, meetings, paperwork, maintenance, and community activities such as smoke alarm installation. That is a lot of volunteering.

West Roane County VFD remains a real bargain for property owners here; costs would go up considerably were we to be forced to move to paid fire and emergency medical protection, whether tax-supported or private.

Here are some numbers. West Roane had gross income of $185,045 for the last fiscal year, with costs to match, which comes to under $685 per run, a very low cost.

Included in this $185,045 revenue: $35,000 from county funds, $8,856 from United Way, and $2,941 from a one-time matching funds grant from the TN Department of Forestry.

West Roane VFD received less than 19% of its funding last year from the county. Without your donations, they cannot continue functioning.

Reminder postcards are being mailed by volunteers this week. Please consider giving now even if you haven't given in a while. If you can't give, please consider volunteering. Help West Roane help everyone.

-- OneTahiti