I attended a class to be certified as Instructor I last week. They were complaining that enrollment was way down in the state classes. They ask what we thought they were were thinking the economy. I know what is going on and tried to make them understand. 

Here in Indiana they are putting more and more to get though and pass the states classes. They always say not everybody is cut out to be a firefighter. I agree with that statement but I see more and more volunteers just getting mandatory and not going farther. If your career it may add pay or advance your career. But where is the motive for a volunteer?

I took a drivers op class it was free. My chief ask me why do I want to go though all that when I can drive and pump the trucks. I hear this all the time and not just from my dept. I have more certs than all but one officer on my dept and I am one away from him. I am still a just a firefighter so why should I try there is no advancement in it for me and don't think there will be for a long time. I don't care if I am an officer I am self motivated and gun ho, But most are not.

I see what the state wants but when most of the area is covered by vollies how much can they get. I believe there has to be a happy medium. Or training will stop at the bare minimum. I think thats the opposite of what they want. I believe they are wanting better trained fire depts not less trained.

I don't know if this post shows what I am tring to say correctly. Its hard to explain what I am tring to say. I am not really against the new stuff but how far can they go before it blows up in there face and hurts more than it helps.