By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Reporter Tony Guerrero speaks with Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers about the Munjor fire station's volunteer shortage and its future.
Myers said the fire station, known as Company 9, is now staffed by five firefighters after the recent retirement of its longtime chief. None of the remaining members reside in Munjor.
"It's hard to have the discussion about closing the fire station and consolidating it with others, but that's kind of what we're starting to plan for," Myers said. "Not saying it's going to happen, but we have to start coming up with a plan on what that may look like."
The fire department plans a recruitment push in 2026, including mailing postcards to residents. Myers said the station’s future will depend on whether enough qualified applicants step forward to serve.
"No matter their age, sex or anything. You never know who's interested or who might know somebody who could be interested. We're going to see if we can get some people on board to keep that fire truck out there and not have to move it to another location," he said.
However, Myers emphasized that staffing a station involves more than filling positions and requires proper training.
"It's a false sense of security for those who live in Munjor to think 'Oh, we have a fire truck down the street.' Well, if there's no firefighter to respond, that fire truck is really no good," he said.
Because the firefighters assigned to Munjor live outside the community, response times can be slower. Myers said crews from Hays or Victoria may arrive sooner than the local volunteers traveling in from elsewhere.
If recruitment efforts fall short, Myers said the department may consider consolidating the Munjor station with neighboring areas, with calls handled by stations in Hays, Victoria and Schoenchen.
"If we can keep up six to eight firefighters out there, that would be great," he said. "One might say the truck only fits three, so you can only respond with three people, but not always are you going to have the same three people that are going to be available in town."
Myers provided data from the National Fire Protection Association, reporting that there were 676,900 volunteer firefighters in the U.S. in 2020, compared to 897,750 in 1984.
Myers said fire service responses increased from 11.07 million in 1984 to 42.69 million in 2024.
"With the number of firefighters, 25% less firefighters, we're doing four times the amount of work. At some point, that's going to break," Myers said.
Myers encourages anyone interested in volunteering to contact the Ellis County Fire Department or apply online at the Ellis County website.