The Etna Fire Department, a reliable pillar in our community, is currently under threat of closure. As with many of us in Etna, this issue is highly personal to me as well. All volunteer firemen, EMS—these are our first line of defense to save lives and homes.

As a small community, we heavily rely on the skills and dedication of these individuals to keep our homes, properties, and families safe from emergencies and disasters. However, the current strategy to shut down the Etna Fire Department could leave us without immediate access to this critical public service.

According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, volunteer firefighters save municipalities across the United States $139.8 billion per year. However, the real value is the lives saved, the homes preserved, and the sense of security maintained for fellow residents who have good reason to believe help is immediate and effective when they most need it.

With such significant value in our existing system, discontinuing operations could put our public safety, financial resources, and our sense of community at risk.

We ask you to accept our appeal for the continuous operation of the Etna Fire Department. Please, make the right decision for our community's safety and future. Sign this petition to keep the Etna Fire Department operating and readily serving the public, now and in the future.