The article in the Cape Gazette regarding "Rehoboth firefighters ask for help" broke my heart. It made me realize all of us property owners who are protected by the Rehoboth Beach Fire Company are freeloaders.
Here are our all-volunteer (let that sink in, "all volunteer") firefighters, asking the city for money. These folks almost sounded apologetic about the fact that they don't have enough volunteers to raise funds by themselves to keep our million-dollar homes safe. If this doesn't make you feel guilty right now, I don't know what will.
Perhaps all homeowners should be billed, not allowed to "donate" to the fire department? Not only does the RBVFC protect in-town Rehoboth, but they also cover North Shores, Henlopen Acres, and so many other towns near us. If each of the homes served by the RBVFC were to be billed even $100 per year, they would actually have a budget they could count on.
And by the way, if the fire department can't get volunteers, and we get to the point it has to be a paid service, that bill will be several million dollars, I would imagine.
As the daughter of a paid city firefighter where I grew up in Pennsylvania, it saddens me that in this day and age these good people must risk their lives as volunteers, and then turn around and raise their own funds.
Cindy Lovett
Rehoboth Beach
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