Usually, when there’s an emergency, the first folks to come running are emergency personnel - the firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and all their related support personnel.

They’re the ones running into burning buildings, rescuing people, pets and possessions to save and shape the community they serve.

For years and years - especially in Pennsylvania - volunteer firefighters in small towns and rural communities have shared their time and energy in service to others.

But most recently, they’re spending much of their time just trying to keep the firehouse doors open and fuel in their vehicles.

With costs rising and membership dwindling some local fire companies are ready to make their own call to 9-1-1, if they haven’t already.

One of the latest groups flirting with extinction is the New England Fire Company in Walker Township, Schuylkill County.

Earlier this month, its president attended a meeting of the township’s supervisors to ask for assistance.

He told the board the fire company can’t continue the way things are going and painted a bleak picture of its finances.

Supervisors learned that despite several fundraisers, only about 20% of the residents the company serves turns out to assist and support them.

They learned that the $4,000 they give the company to update its turnout gear covers just about half the actual cost of $7,000 for one set. Without the fundraisers, supervisors learned the fire company would’ve posted a $15,000 deficit.

Certainly, the township contributes more for fire protection, but the annual $30,000 and a bit more in additional funds aren’t quite enough to cover expenses.

A core group of members respond to calls and are doing the fundraising work, with results that can be disheartening.

Township officials said they’d explore the possibility of grants to shore up the firefighters’ finances. The company gets a grant of about $13,000 annually, but the funds go fast when it comes to purchasing supplies and fuel.

The local company’s situation is common all across the state’s all-volunteer departments and departments that mix paid firefighters and volunteers.

Recently, with increased traffic and a growing population, call volume has gone up, too.

Many volunteers work, dampening availability for responses. Even more, training soaks up countless hours that potential volunteers don’t have for sharing.

Often, volunteers are torn between families and firefighting. Being at the ready to respond to any emergency can conflict with time others set aside for children.

Despite projections of current population in the area, down the road those numbers will be on the decline in an aging atmosphere. Plainly put, the fire service often loses members as they age out.

Replacing those who leave with new blood isn’t easy.

Some places are getting creative to ensure staffing.

In York County a program was proposed to offer college students free lodging at fire stations in return for their responding to calls.

And a state lawmaker at one point suggested forgiving student loans to entice potential new members.

But financial incentives would only waste money that would be available to equip and maintain members in existing departments.

There is, unfortunately, no one-size-fits-all answer to the emergency our emergency response system finds itself in.

There’s plenty of money to go around, especially in Pennsylvania, home to the third most volunteer fire departments in the nation where 97% of the commonwealth’s 1,800 registered departments fit that description.

For sure, grants are available at all levels of government and foundations often sponsor funds for local departments.

Finding and applying for those things takes time and resources that are already strained in rural departments trying to stay afloat with raffles, bingos, breakfasts and barbecues.

The problem is, it seems, that nobody cares.

Public safety becomes a priority only when there’s a fire. Well-being rises to importance when there’s no ambulance.

For years, there’s been a lot of talk among lawmakers about solving the problem. Hearings, discussions, proposals and the like are just cheap talk. Throwing money at the issue hasn’t solved anything.

It’s time for action, not more words or token cash that kick the can down the road again and again.

Someone’s life is worth more than that.

ED SOCHA/tneditor@tnonline.com

ED SOCHA is a retired newspaper editor with more than 40 years’ experience in community journalism. Reach him at tneditor@tnonline.com.

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.