Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The Mathews Volunteer Fire Department fund drive letters will soon be arriving in your mailboxes. Please take a moment to send some financial appreciation for the 75 members who volunteer to keep our community safe, whether it is in the middle of the day or during the wee hours of the morning.

As a new member, I have a fresh understanding of what it means to be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may not be aware that 15 of our members are professional firefighters in other jurisdictions. Many of our members have served on the fire department for all of their adult lives.

I am grateful that these men and women are willing to be on call during their “off” time, and I am amazed at how quickly they respond to emergency calls.

I have also learned that the fire department’s scope of work includes a great many things beyond house fires, brush fires, and vehicle accidents. MVFD works hand in hand with the Rescue Squad to provide ambulance drivers, ...