Loss of First Responders to Military Service Hurts Communities

June 18, 2007 — -- When William "Bill" Bailey III's flag-draped coffin was brought home to Bellevue, Neb., two weeks ago, hundreds of mourners came out to honor the town's native son.

Towering over the crowd gathered to mourn Bailey was an enormous American flag, held up by two ladder trucks from town's volunteer fire department. After the service, his casket was placed in a fire engine and escorted in a procession to the Bellevue cemetery.

In addition to being a beloved husband, father and hunter, Bailey was a firefighter.

"We're a close-knit family, so it definitely has an impact on us. He'll be missed," said Bellevue fire chief Dale Tedder.

In addition to several other firefighters who have been deployed to Iraq, Bailey's absence put some pressure on the fire department, the largest in the state. "What it does is that when there are very aggressive calls to answer, then you miss that person," says Tedder. "You're always depending on that person and they're not there."

Thousands of communities like Bellevue across the country have been affected by the military deployment of their local firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians. Although official numbers are difficult to collect, 24,000 police officers have been deployed overseas since 9/11, according to Reuters. Of the 43,722 individuals in the Selected Reserve who could be categorized as first responders (police officers, detectives, firefighters, EMTs, and ambulance drivers), about 10 percent of them (4,382) are currently mobilized, according to the Pentagon.

In some communities, 10 percent to 15 percent of the police and fire departments have been called up for duty, and chiefs have had to hire more part-time staffers, bill for overtime and make do with less to fulfill their obligations. In some cases, the staffing issues are directly affecting the essential services communities receive.

In Fargo, N.D., for example, 15 to 18 of the police department's 125 officers were overseas after being called up for duty in the National Guard. "We're barely able to keep our heads above water," said Chief Keith Ternes. "We continue to provide high-quality police services but just at a bare minimum."