SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Volunteer firefighters across Tennessee struggle to keep up with operation costs, yet the role of these essential workers remains critical in areas that, without them, would have no fire protection at all.
In May, I spoke with the Gallatin Volunteer Fire Department in Sumner County as they faced a crisis: Significant storm damage and half their trucks out of service.
At that point, they told me they didn't know how they'd be able to continue serving their community.
"We were dealing with multiple broke down pieces of equipment," Jason Ditzler, a firefighter with the Gallatin Volunteer Fire Department, said as he reflected on their situation earlier this year.
The equipment failures had put two of their four trucks out of service. Meanwhile, storm damage created additional needed building repairs, compounding their financial challenges.
Ditzler spoke with me about these issues in May, and this has led to some unexpected support.
"Amazingly, a lot has gone on since we last talked," Ditzler said.
After our story aired highlighting their struggle, the department raised over $2,000 through GoFundMe, and the community support didn't stop there.
The most unexpected development came in the form of entertainment.
"A comedy show wasn't even on the short list of things I thought was going to happen," Ditzler said.
Chris Monhollen, who works with Funny for Funds to organize professional fundraiser comedy shows, saw our story where Ditzler described their mounting issues.
With community support, they're now planning a comedy show to benefit the department.
"Live auction, silent auction, we have three professional comedians," Monhollen said. "We have a host, a feature and a headliner."
The proceeds from the show will help the department replace one of its broken-down trucks.
"Doing this has helped us realize that we are following our own calling to help people," Ditzler said.
Several community members have helped cover the cost of the comedy show, which will be held at the Elk Lodge in Gallatin on October 18. Tickets are $20 per person.
To buy tickets, donate towards the auction or learn more about the event, click here.
Ditzler said they are working to repair the building damage and one of their trucks will be repaired soon. The truck that no longer works they've had since 1984 and ran from their second station.
The Gallatin Volunteer Fire Department responds to emergencies in our community despite having half its fleet out of service. The October 18th comedy fundraiser represents a critical opportunity to help restore their emergency response capabilities. If you've been impacted by the work of volunteer firefighters or have thoughts about the challenges they face, I'd like to hear your perspective at Kim.Rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported by Kim Rafferty and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Kim and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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